Folie a Trois
by PinkElegance
Summary: Had Spock, caught up in the splendor of Uhura, failed to recognize his commanding officer was caught up as well?”
1. Mission: Get Nyota Laid?

_**Folie a Trois**_

**A/N:** In this world, a few of the events from ST2K9 did not take place. For instance, Gaila is still alive. The relationship between Spock and Uhura does not yet exist and Kirk gets real. I'm adjusting the canon to fit my own deviant, warped intentions. I see the _Enterprise's_ crew as having a lot of down time in between adventures, and the adventures are what _we_ see. So much of this story takes place during the down time. This fic is best classified as AU with a dash of OOC, so be warned. I do what the muse tells me to do, and doggone if it ain't fun doing it. Come along with me, if you want.

The title, loosely translated, means "a madness shared between three."

I could not have written this without the suggestions of cleojones and my beta, Blue Crescent Moon. Thanks and kisses!

**Pairing:** K/S/U

**Rating:** Mature.

**Warnings**: Adult content, language, sex…all the good stuff that makes this fun.

**Summary**: "They were like a binary star system and she was a planet caught between them." **OR** "Had Spock, caught up in the splendor of Uhura, failed to recognize his commanding officer was caught up as well?" **OR** "Kirk watched her, his expression a mixture of desire and desperation. She always made him feel like a high school frosh with a crush."

**Disclaimer:** The characters you recognize are not mine. The characters you don't are mine. Not getting paid for this, which is depressing on so many levels.

Translations: _ Meklat_: darling _shianc_: skank _lachia_: honey _achat_: what?

* * *

This is how it happened.

It began with a dare. A hastily made, off the cuff, semi-risqué dare with an old friend which took place sometime after the Enterprise returned from her maiden voyage with heavy damage. The crew of the Enterprise was planet-side for several months while repairs were made. Work was done, paperwork filed, Starfleet regulations followed, plans made for the subsequent five-year mission and commendations awarded. Then the ship was ready again; ready to launch in a little over 48 hours.

* * *

**I: Mission: Get Nyota Laid?**

A couple of weeks before the _Enterprise_ repairs were complete, it was decreed that her crew be given official shore leave before setting off on their next mission. Every crew member took full advantage of the leave, as it might be some time before there was another one, especially on Earth.

For Uhura, this meant taking an opportunity to hang out with some old girlfriends. It just so happened, her former academy roommate, Gaila, was also on shore leave, as well as a mutual friend named Irish. The Friday night before the Enterprise was set to leave, they made plans to meet at a The Shipyard Bar to reminisce and catch up. Uhura was looking forward to it. It had been some time since they'd spoken.

Eager for the opportunity to wear regular clothes, especially shoes, Uhura donned slim black slacks and a matching tank with an oversized white "boyfriend" shirt and her favorite pair of black patent heels. She did not want to acknowledge her Starfleet officer connections on a night out when she planned to have at least one shot of Jack, a Klabnian Fire Tea and at least one other alcoholic beverage. She did not imbibe on a regular basis, but this was a chance to let her hair down, and so she did. Literally.

Gaila and Irish met her at the spot and they squealed when they saw each other and hugged in a manner that Uhura had not done in a long time. Yet it felt right. They found a table near the dance floor and Uhura noticed that the spot was fairly crowded and the place was dotted with members of Starfleet who had not bothered to dress down. Irish immediately ordered a round of Cardassian Sunrises, some Klingon hot wings and a basket of Ferengi Fire Fries. For starters.

"Just like the old days," Uhura said, sucking the purple sauce off a Klingon wing.

"Until you got so busy with your linguistics work that you forgot how to party down with us. Understandable, though." Gaila smiled at her friend. "It's really good to see you again, Nyota." She dipped some fries into a hot green sauce the color of her skin.

Irish, a gorgeous, human-Betazoid hybrid, reached over and pinched Uhura's cheek. "Absolutely! Heard you got promoted and all, like three hours after the _Enterprise_ left space dock. Congratulations, Nyo!" By nature, Irish was even more hot-blooded than Gaila and thought about sex more than most men. "Um, there are a lot of hot men in here tonight. Oh my, look at that—look at THAT!"

A handsome male made his way into the restaurant and over to a table of friends. Gaila smiled appreciatively. "Yeah, he's a cutie." She looked around to see that more than one male was eyeing her. A hookup was definitely on the pretty Orion's agenda tonight.

Irish ogled him. "Did you see how fine he was? How those jeans positively hugged his a—"

"Gaila," Uhura interrupted, "Have you met anyone serious yet?" She knew better than to ask Irish. The only thing Irish was serious about was who she was going to screw next.

"Unfortunately, _meklat_, the _Farragut_ does not have the pleasure of having hot men command her. That honor is apparently reserved for the Federation flagship. At any rate, I am forced to use my wiles on a peon in Security merely because he can get me access. And otherwise, he's not worth mentioning. Ah, to be transferred to the _Enterprise_ where the gorgeous men abound."

"I heard that," Irish said. "Nyo, you are the sole female in a command crew of absolute babes. Hot babes. Not one scrub among them. Even Captain Pike was hot. And that kid? Chekov's his name, right? I would love to break in that little tenderoni. You know how fortunate you are? Were I in your place, it would be a rotating screwfest."

Gaila laughed heartily. "Irish, you are sooo bad! Don't listen to her, Nyo!"

Uhura shook her head. "I never do. But I don't even see my fellow officers that way."

Irish gaped at her friend. "_Achat?_ Are you serious? All those hot men and you don't _see_ it?"

Gaila shook her head. "Nyo, you need to have your eyes examined. I do agree with Irish, however. All the officers aboard your starship are so good-looking! Don't know about the rotating screwfest, but you could be screwing at least one of them."

"Not my command crew, Gaila. From what I know of them, they are all very professional and wouldn't dream of crossing that boundary."

Captain Kirk was the exception. On the way back to Earth, he slept with at least four female crew members that she knew of. He'd also bedded Gaila a while back, but Uhura hoped she'd forgotten about it. Didn't need to hear reminiscing about how good (or bad) her commanding officer was in bed.

"You obviously don't know much, then." Gaila drank her Sunrise and giggled. "Men always think about sex, whether it be professional or not. Trust me on that, _meklat_. At least one of them is thinking about sex with you." She swept her curly hair over her shoulders and winked at Uhura.

Irish continued. "All those beautiful hard men up there in space with you and you don't do anything…? Let's trade. _I _could find something to do with _all_ of them, especially Captain Fine and Commander Hotness."

"Yes," Gaila said. "Mr. Sexy-As-Hell Spock. I failed his course, but I enjoyed looking at and listening to that man twice a week. So, worth the F. And Jim Kirk? He's gorgeous, freaky…a bona fide sex _god_! I was furious with him after he used me to help him cheat on the Kobayashi Maru, but the makeup sex was apology enough. He made me come so hard that I would do it again."

Irish sighed. "I'm so jealous of you, Gaila."

Gaila looked completely smug about her memories of Kirk. Uhura groaned and shook her head. She did not need to know _that_ about her boss, and it wasn't a surprise at all to know that Kirk had cheated on Spock's test. It did not matter now.

Irish rolled her eyes. "I never had a chance to sleep with him, but I wanted to. Gaila, you lucky _shianc_, you have firsthand knowledge. Mr. Spock? Total babe. I wish I could—"

"Commander Spock?" Uhura laughed. "Um, _no_. He's Vulcan. Vulcan, sexy and babe are three words that do not come to mind when I see him." Honestly, she'd never thought about it.

"You really _don't_ know anything," Irish said. "Spock is the hottest Vulcan in the galaxy. And he's on your ship! I'll _show_ you what to do with him. I want to suck on his ears. Let's swap starships!"

Gaila laughed and drank her Sunrise. Uhura had to chuckle at the thought. Really? Commander Spock's _ears_? Irish was…well, she just was. Uhura and Gaila accepted her just that way.

"No way, ladies. The _Enterprise_ is mine." Uhura had wanted assignment to the _Enterprise_ and only the _Enterprise_. She wasn't about to give that up. Not even jokingly.

And so the banter continued through the appetizers and another round of drinks. Sometime later, Gaila asked, "Nyo, do you still dance?"

"What?"

"Dance. Like you used to when we would go to the gym to work out." Gaila devoured two hot wings in under a minute.

Irish studied her friend. "You know, you'd go off to a corner of the gymnastics mat and dance for a good hour. Always said it was the best thing for you to do to get some sleep." She ate a fry.

"Yeah," Uhura said, eating a wing. "No. I don't. No time."

Gaila shook her head. "Pity. You move so beautifully. It helped you sleep, with your walk, your style and grace…and it was one of the reasons why Jim Kirk pursued you."

"I know!" Irish said. "Nor was he the only one. We were so envious of you, Nyo. To move like that and get the attention you got because you moved the way you did. I remember men falling all over themselves to date you."

Uhura nodded, thinking about her decidedly easier days back at the Academy. "Yeah, well that was _then_. It's not happening _now_," Uhura said. "I'm just too busy." She was not real concerned about her lack of intimacy or even companionship. She was much too preoccupied to be bothered with a relationship or the attentions of an unworthy man. There just seemed to be ten times the number of unworthy men to worthy men.

Her sudden and recent promotion kept her extremely busy. The HR paperwork alone took nearly nine weeks to complete, as she'd made at least six rank jumps, which translated into pay grade increases that required authorization. This couldn't be done immediately because Pike was taken hostage by Nero, then Spock's mother died and his planet imploded, and then Kirk was just too busy with his own HR paperwork and promotion. She had to wait for Pike to be released from medical leave to get him to complete his part of her paperwork. Starfleet HR being what it was, the paperwork was still being processed. Uhura planned to do some serious interstellar shoe shopping when she got her back pay.

And then, she had to learn the specific nuances of how the Enterprise's bridge consoles and communications lab worked. The Academy's simulation modules were very generic, and so on her off time, she spent hours absorbing the _Enterprise's_ communications manuals to ensure her continued success on the bridge. Uhura did all this while the ship was being repaired. She wasn't about to do anything that would affect her newfound position. The other linguists she left behind were jealous. She had Kirk to thank for that. She hadn't done it yet.

But Gaila and Irish's words struck a chord. Maybe she should be concerned. She was, after all, intelligent, independent and not bad looking. Why was she single?

"_What_?" Irish and Gaila were aghast and in unison.

"No one is chasing me and I'm not interested anyway. I got what I wanted: an officer position on board the _Enterprise_. I'm satisfied with that." But was she?

"You seriously don't believe that," Irish said. "You _must_ be drunk." She licked wing sauce off her fingers.

"_Meklat_, you can't tell me that you're not sexing Jim Kirk. Not in that close proximity. I would be. And I know he's into you; he slept with me to get to you!" Gaila said. "He even wanted to do it on your bed."

Uhura closed her eyes. "Thanks, Gaila. I didn't need to hear that. There were times when she positively hated Kirk. She tried to blow him off, but he continued to annoy her. Yes, there were times when she loathed her new captain. And then there were times when she didn't. James T. Kirk was the only man she knew that she could go from liking to hating in two seconds flat. Why it was so easy for him to get under her skin was beyond her.

Another round of drinks: Romulan ale this time and shots of Jack. More Klingon wings and Ferengi fries.

Uhura continued. "However, our current relationship is purely professional. As are my relationships with all my colleagues. Such situations do not benefit the crew or the mission. And it doesn't matter. I haven't had sex in months and don't really miss it." She ate a handful of fries. "I wonder what they have for dessert?"

Irish rolled her eyes. "Please. I get laid regularly on the _Hood_. Who do you think you're fooling, _lachia_?"

"I'm serious. I can't even remember the last time I got laid." Uhura dipped a fry into the green sauce and ate it.

"Must not have been any good, if you can't remember." Irish said, shaking her head.

Gaila looked stunned. "No sex!" She could barely go a week without getting some. Irish couldn't go two days.

"None." Uhura shook her head, ate another fry and leaned back into her chair.

"We must fix _this_," Gaila said.

"Now we know what we're here to do," Irish cackled. "Mission: Get Nyota laid."

"There's no fixing it. I'm not in a position to get it on with a man of my choice. There's no one on the Enterprise that I would select." Of course, she'd been way too busy to even size up potential candidates.

"You mean you can't choose a decadent sweet from that box of candy you work with? There _isn't_ one of them that you'd mind giving them your cookies?" Irish said. "If it were me, we'd be banging on the regular." She shook her dark hair and knocked back her shot of Jack.

Uhura laughed. "Irish, you're such a slut." How she ended up with two oversexed females as best girlfriends was beyond her, but she loved them anyway. They always provided a much-needed realistic—albeit hilarious—perspective to her staid love life.

"Takes one to know one, _shianc_. Yours is just undercover." Irish stuck her tongue out at Uhura. "You need to get a man, get laid, and let your freak flag fly."

"We're gonna see to that," Gaila said.

Irish nodded. "Best believe it. It's a travesty that you've gone so long without sex. A downright violation of _some_ Starfleet regulation, I'm sure. As your friends, we must help you get laid."

Gaila grinned. "Tonight, if possible. You game, _meklat_? Can you do it?"

Uhura shrugged. "I don't know. I won't promise anything because I know how positively skank-ish you two can be. But I'll listen to what you have to say." She knew they meant well.

"Enough for me," Gaila said. "I dare you to walk up to the honey that came in earlier and hit on him. You could take him home tonight, get broken off and be set before the _Enterprise_ leaves space dock on Monday morning. Bet he won't know what hit him."

"Gaila, I'm not doing that."

"Why not?"

"He's not my type."

"_Achat! _What has type to do with it?" said Irish. "The mission is for you to get laid. Who cares about type?"

"That's because you don't care who you sleep with, Irish. I'm picky about my shoes and they only go on my feet. I'm certainly not about to let just any man get under my skirt. I don't care how fine he is." She sipped her ale.

"I _do_ care," Irish looked hurt. "A little." She licked more wing sauce off her fingers. "These are so good."

Gaila said, "If you don't go and talk to him, then I dare you to get on the floor and dance like you used to do. He'll come up to you. Somebody will. You won't have to worry about asking anybody out. They'll ask you. And by Monday, the mission's accomplished."

"I won't—"

"Why not?? There's a dance floor. Irish here will put in a request. Get out there and dance off your sexual tension if you're not going to let one of those fine ass men you work with bang it out of you." Gaila rolled her eyes and made a clucking sound. "I've taught you _nothing!_"

Uhura sighed. She wasn't about to approach that guy. Everything about him felt all wrong for her. True, he was cute, but she just wasn't into cute men. She preferred men that were not only attractive but also had presence, sharp wit, and above all else, superior intellect. Cute and stupid just didn't work for her.

"Don't chicken out, _lachia_," Irish said. "I'm going to request a good song." She got up.

Uhura had a reputation for never backing down from a challenge. She stood up, knocked back her shot of Jack, and glared at Gaila. "This is your fault!" But it was she who didn't want to acknowledge that dancing again would feel good. It had been a long time.

"Go on then," Gaila said. "We're waiting."

Irish sat back down. "Got an oldie from way back. Go, Nyo. Won't be long before there'll be a guy who won't look away. Not that they _do_. Have you seen yourself?"

Rolling her eyes, Uhura strode out to the middle of the dance floor. She could hear the crescendo—it was a song she knew. It was mid-tempo with a nice beat and a terrific guitar; something she could dance to; in fact, had. Breathing deeply, she took a moment to know her space and quickly removed her overshirt, throwing it at Gaila and Irish. Men turned to gawk. She closed her eyes and began to move instinctively.

"This is NOT a striptease, losers!" Irish yelled at them.

Uhura could not hear her friends. She was inside the music, swaying her hips deeply, sliding her hands up and down her sides, and across her waist and up her buttocks. The sensual feel and freedom of movement took her back years and she lost herself in the moves. Her glorious nightfall swung in rhythm with her hips.

Men were watching intently now. Some got up to move a little closer. Gaila and Irish egged her on.

Uhura found herself making tight gyrations. Her hands moved of their own accord across her body. She didn't acknowledge how it might look outside herself; she just didn't care. All that mattered was how it felt, and it felt gooooood.

Irish whistled, staring around at all the men watching her friend dance seductively. "Look. She's brought all the boys to the yard."

Gaila smiled, looking around the bar. "I know! She's unbelievable. If I could move half as good as she does, well, you know."

Uhura rotated her hips in a tight figure-8, then an oval. The expression on her face was bliss. She had forgotten how liberating it was to dance. How the world fell away when the music came on and it was just you. She bent her knees and grasped her ankles, caressing her entire body as she swayed to a stand. Then the song was over. It took an extra few seconds for her to realize it.

The bar erupted into thunderous applause, whistles and catcalls. Suddenly embarrassed, Uhura went back to her table, put her boyfriend shirt back on and sat down, her cheeks red. Gaila and Irish hugged her. The music changed and other couples headed for the dance floor.

Irish fanned herself. "Nyota, that was hot! Smokin'!"

"I can't believe I just did that," Uhura said, covering her face. "I'm going to be sore tomorrow."

"I can," Gaila said. "You had the attention of every man in this place. Not one of them will ignore you. Not after _that_. Now go do something about it, _meklat_."

Uhura glared at her friends. "Whatever, Gaila. I'm sure I didn't, and no, I won't."

Gaila shook her head and sighed. "You _suck_."

Irish groaned. "Mission failed."

But Uhura had the full attention of two very different men who entered the bar the moment she stepped on the dance floor.

_to be continued.._.


	2. Kirk: Sensation

**II: Kirk. Sensation**

Seven days into their five-year mission, the crew settled into a comfortable routine, rotating shifts and assignments, working with rote purpose, as there was no immediate crisis to deal with. He was almost completely bored already. Almost. There was one facet of his routine that held his interest and she was currently sitting in his line of sight, listening.

As her commanding officer, he could not make a move towards her, even though he desperately wanted to. As captain, and fairly appealing—so he thought of himself—he could have, and did have any woman he wanted. But it was always temporary and physical. Years of wanting the one woman he could not have and practically pining away for her left a void those other women simply could not fill. He didn't try to fill it. Only she could, and he had absolutely no idea how he could get her to do it. Uhura was untouchable. He had been trying to get with her ever since he laid eyes on her in Iowa. She deflected his many advances with so much ease; it was as if he were nothing but an insignificant gnat flying around her face. He tried many times and failed each time. Other girls came and went, but Uhura was always there. The only way he could get her attention was to annoy her and he did his best to do so.

It was a calm day on the bridge, so it was business as usual. Spock sat at his station, ensconced in some boring science analysis. Chekov and Sulu were flying the ship, quietly for a change (those two gossiped like high school girls). Scotty reported that all was well in engineering, and McCoy, after a brief update, was maintaining Medical Bay. Uhura sat at her console, listening for internal and subspace transmissions. Only the important ones were relayed to the captain, and he acknowledged that her innate filter saved him a lot of grief. Pike told him that it was imperative that his communications officer know the difference between what and what not to report. A lot of what she heard wasn't worth reporting and he was grateful she understood that.

Kirk, bored to death, as there was nothing to do but head to their destination (he didn't remember right off where they were going; it was an inane stop), went up to her console.

"Lieutenant Uhura?"

She turned, her bright eyes fixed directly on his. "Yes sir?"

"Yes, _captain_," he said. There was a flash of irritation in her lovely eyes, but it was just a flash. Score one for the Kirkster.

"Yes, Captain?" she said, her emphasis on 'captain' harsh.

"I take it you got all of your HR paperwork completed before we left space dock?"

"Of course, sir. _Captain_," she said.

He leaned down and put his arms on either side of her chair. She blinked rapidly. Kirk kept his voice low to keep the other personnel from hearing his next words.

"Don't you owe me a thank you?"

"For what, sir? Excuse me. _Captain_?"

"For rescuing you."

"From what?"

"From what, _captain_," he said. There was a playful light in his eyes.

"From what…captain?" She bristled. He knew she wanted to snap at him. Score two for the Kirkster.

"You owe me for rescuing you from a lonely, boring job as a mere crew member in the bowels of this magnificent starship that I now command."

"What? Sir, I—"

He interrupted. "Were it not for me, you would have never been on the bridge and Pike would not have promoted you so quickly." His voice lowered even more. "And you can call me Captain."

Uhura inhaled deeply. She hated him with a passion, but refused to admit that he was right. "_Captain_, I believe my skills as a xenolinguist would have set me apart from the other crew members and I would have earned that promotion on my own." She would have done so, had the opportunity taken place.

"Maybe," he said, his eyes traveling over her face. "But it would have taken years. Your relationship with me…" he paused for effect, "…is the very reason why we're sitting here having this conversation. So, like I said, don't you owe me a thank you?" The playful glint in his eyes annoyed her to no end, as she was fully aware he was trying to get a rise out of her. It was working. She was ready to slap him. Score three for the Kirkster.

"You can do it over dinner, you know," he said, his tone light and sensual.

Uhura wanted to scream at him. She noticed that Spock was walking over and took care to lower her voice. "Leave me alone, _Skippy!_" she hissed and turned back around to resume working.

He stepped back, startled, a different look in eyes. Her barb met its mark. Spock came over to brief him on something he discovered and he turned his attentions to his first officer.

The word 'skippy' was a slap in the face and he knew she intended it to be just that. It was her way of insulting his position. Any other person would have been relieved of duty, but it just made him horny for her. As he listened to Spock's brief, he thought up more ways to get her to hiss at him again.

*** * ***

He and McCoy were having lunch in the officers' private dining room when she entered with her tray. Uhura believed in multitasking, so Kirk was not surprised to see a PADD on her tray. She sat on the other end of the table and began to eat while working on the PADD. Kirk got up and went over to sit by her. McCoy rolled his eyes and took a look at the chronometer, wondering how long it would take for Kirk to return with his fur ruffled or for Uhura to leave the dining room looking like a singed cat.

"So, _Lieutenant_…" he began, emphasizing her title.

She looked up at him. "Sir?"

"I'm still waiting on that dinner invite."

"You will be waiting until hell freezes over, Captain." She turned her attention back to her PADD and lunch.

"Come on, you can't say you don't want to have dinner with me! I can be quite the host and entertain you with tales of my misspent youth in Iowa—"

"I would rather have my eyelashes removed one by one with a pair of forceps."

"Did you know I stole my stepfather's antique Corvette and drove it off a cliff into a quarry?"

"Pity you weren't inside of it when it went over the cliff."

"Aw, and then I would have missed so many tender moments between us."

"Those moments are equivalent to when a piece of gum sticks to my shoe."

"Just say it. You like me and secretly, you want me. You know our banter is like foreplay for you."

She glared at him. "You are an utter and complete troll. I would sooner engage in foreplay with a Ferengi before I do it with you."

"If I get a Ferengi on board tonight, would tomorrow morning work for you?"

Uhura rolled her eyes. "I hope that you die in your sleep tonight."

"I'll die a happy man with you beside me."

She picked up her PADD, stood up and shoved past him. She left the dining room in a huff. Kirk stared after her. McCoy checked the chronometer. Sixty seconds. Not bad.

"You two really need to get a room," he said when Kirk sat back down.

"I want to, but she's playing hard to get."

"Have you ever considered that she really does hate you?"

"No. She doesn't." He was sure of that.

McCoy shook his head. "If your objective is to get her to notice you beyond your assholery, you're not going to meet it. You need to grow up and show her what you can be like when you're not being a dick. She isn't just another pretty face. Your infantile charms won't work on the lovely Lieutenant. So _man_ up, Jim."

"Bones! I didn't know you cared!"

"I understand why she hates you," McCoy retorted.

Kirk had an underlying sense that his back and forth with Uhura was more than just mere banter. There was something there. If she was not affected by him, then his barbs would bounce off her as easily as water off a duck's back, and hers wouldn't have the power to sting. But she made him hot and he made her bristle, and he knew from experience that such heated reactions and exchanges were camouflage for deeper feelings. Was Bones right in that he should man up and show her he was serious about wanting to be with her? He was, but he was James T. Kirk, and he was rarely serious about anything other than his command of the _Enterprise_.

But maybe Bones did have a point. If Uhura could see him as a man, as someone actually worth her time, then maybe something could happen. He had never made it a secret that he liked her, and it wasn't a surface attraction either. Kirk had no problem sleeping with pretty girls, but they did not hold his interest past that. Most of them were just that: pretty without a neuron to speak of. But Uhura was different. She was quick, witty, brainy, and for the most part, unflappable under pressure. She could definitely go toe to toe with him in their spats. And she was gorgeous. She appealed to him in a different, deeper way. But she could do with a little fun in her life. The woman was just…so…_serious_. He was the man for the job.

He considered banning PADDs from the officers' dining room, just so she could have a respite and enjoy her meal. But she would have taken it as a personal affront, so he didn't do it.

*** * * **

Kirk spent the next few days thinking about McCoy's suggestion whenever he could. He managed to be reasonably pleasant to Uhura on the bridge, but he was still Kirk, and also managed to throw in a few darts just to see her eyes flash in irritation. She was so hot when she was mad at him and he couldn't resist it.

Three weeks into the mission, he began to notice something different about her. She walked slower than she used to. Her movements were more graceful. She touched herself more, and not in a dirty way. She would absently rub her thigh or caress her shoulder while sitting at her console. Sometimes, she would tilt her head and run her fingers along the curve of her neck or her lips. She would sit with her legs crossed and slowly swing her foot back and forth. During a routine gamma shift, she actually detached her earpiece and laid it on her console. Then she removed her hair from the elastic, shook it out and ran her fingers through it while closing her eyes and sighing softly. Uhura stretched her neck and stroked one side for about three seconds, and then she put her hair back up and her earpiece back in.

Kirk remembered that night because every single man on the bridge turned to gawk at her. Even Spock was watching. The moment lasted for all of a minute, but it was a minute that became a superglue memory. When he realized that these subtle changes coincided with the fact that she stopped getting annoyed by his constant barbs, his interest was piqued. What happened?

And then, one late night when insomnia sent him stalking the deserted halls of the Federation flagship, he had his answer. He went up on the observation deck. It might have been two in the morning. He saw that the front center of the obs deck was dimly lit and Uhura was there, dancing. She wore white, a tank top and shorts—definitely not Starfleet-issued—and she moved to some music he could not hear. She did not hear his approach and he quickly moved behind a partition so that she couldn't see him.

Kirk watched her dance, in a daze. She was lithe, graceful, sensual, and sexy; her dark hair moved with her, cascading around her head as she danced. Her hair was longer than Starfleet regulations permitted and yet he knew he would never ask her to cut it. Instead, he fantasized about its softness and how it would feel in his hands and draped over his body. He was hard within seconds.

She slid to the floor, lifted her legs in a slow bicycle curl, and then lowered them, coming up to sit in one fluid motion. She leaned back, rested her weight on her hands and moved her neck in slow circles. She was glorious. Then Uhura lifted her legs again and he noticed the dark red of her toenails. She pointed her toes, and then opened her legs in a wide 'V'. That was the absolute last thing Kirk needed to see, but he could not move from his post. She lowered her legs, rolled to her stomach and came up on her knees, then moved to a standing position, allowing her hands to caress her stomach and her breasts. She lifted her hands over her head and swung out her hip in a stretch.

Kirk swallowed, hot from the inside out. He could not tear his eyes away from her.

She took a few more moments to stretch, and then stood quietly for a second, adjusting something on her ear. Then she wiped her face, covered herself with her Starfleet sweats, put on some slippers and headed out of the observation deck. So wrapped up in her actions was she that she did not see or sense him behind the partition.

He watched her walk away and he waited a moment before he moved in the opposite direction. His heart said 'follow' but he knew that wasn't the best of ideas. She would know he had seen her, and he had the impression that this was a private thing that the size of her quarters wouldn't allow.

When Kirk made it back to his quarters, he immediately headed for the shower and masturbated with the images of her in mind. He lay in bed, feeling as if he had been hit in the stomach with a baseball bat. Watching her dance reminded him that he had actually seen her do it before.

Kirk had entered the bar where Uhura had been with her friends. It was intended to be a quick visit, just enough to get a couple of drinks. But when he walked into the side entrance and noticed every eye in the bar trained in one direction, his followed, and he forgot all about getting drinks. Uhura was on the dance floor alone, moving sensuously to some song he didn't know. Moving with complete abandon and disregard for her surroundings. Moving in a way that he had never seen before and never thought he'd see from _her_.

'_What the hell?_' he thought. He was mesmerized, rooted to the spot, only moving to stand in a position where he wasn't visible to everyone in the room. Not that anyone was looking at _him_.

The memory of that Friday night, coincided with his recent discovery, changed everything. Now he understood the reasons for the subtle adjustments in her behavior and why she was no longer irritated by him. Watching her dance stirred something deep within him, something that had been asleep all this time and awoke with a vengeance.

She danced every two to three nights, after her beta shift. When he figured out the pattern, he watched her. He couldn't help it. He was drawn to the observation deck whenever he knew she would be there. He watched her and allowed his imagination to go to warp, wondering how she felt, how she tasted, how she smelled, what it would be like to experience her legs around his hips or his head, what her love sounded like. He wanted to know what it took to make her scream, what he would have to do to make her climax. There was _nothing_ he wouldn't try. To have her lie next to him, skin to skin, kiss and hold him, and envelop him in her heat. To know what it meant to be the recipient of her smile, her touch, and her love. He wanted to _know_ her. She made him weak.

And while he was able to have and achieve release with a multitude of women, he knew that if _she_ beckoned, he would come. He would be hers. He was putty in her hands.

A man with swagger, a man with an indomitable spirit, a bold and brilliant genius, a playboy with no boundaries, a decorated and revered Starfleet officer—Captain James T. Kirk could not believe that, in a matter of weeks, his communications officer had reduced him to _this_…

**_to be continued..._**


	3. Spock: Fascination

**III: Spock. Fascination**

She was 170.2 centimeters high, and had a mass of 57 kilograms. Across the chest and hips, she was 91 centimeters, and her waist spanned 61 centimeters. Spock was very familiar with the dimensions of every aspect of the bridge, and Uhura's placement at the communications console enabled him to calculate her measurements.

He overheard Kirk ask McCoy if she was a 36-24-36, as the doctor had just completed her health screen. He was curious. How Kirk came about his information was logically suspect, as Commander Spock doubted that Lieutenant Uhura would allow the captain to come anywhere near her with a measuring tape.

Humans and humanoids could not be perfectly symmetric, but she was as close to having faultless proportions as any being could get. Anthropologically speaking, she would make the ideal mate for a human male. Physically, she was fascinating.

He told himself that it was perfectly logical to collect quantitative data on Lt. Uhura, as she was the only female in the command crew. The information could prove to be useful one day. He, however, did not take any quantitative measurements on any other crew members.

She was a gifted communications officer, an exceptional student, a skilled marksman, quite proficient in hand-to-hand combat, and adept at keeping her emotions under control, especially when the captain did all he could to bait her. Although it appeared that the captain was fond of the lovely xenolinguist, Lt. Uhura did was not as enamored of him. Spock could tell, when he observed, by the minute way she rolled her eyes in Kirk's direction whenever he irritated her, but she never lost her professionalism.

She was very accomplished and did her best to excel in every subject she was introduced to. He knew that while the _Enterprise_ was being repaired, she spent her time completing her personnel paperwork and learning the details about the _Enterprise's_ communications center and nuances of the bridge consoles, as well as the vernacular specific to the _Enterprise_ herself. He himself checked out the manuals to her and she returned them to him two days after the starship left space dock. In the short time that she had been an officer on the bridge, she proved herself worthy of Admiral Pike's initial promotion and her fellow officers' appreciation for her unparalleled sensory abilities. Intellectually, she was fascinating. He could actually have a conversation with her.

Spock kept his observations to himself. It was inappropriate and illogical not to do so. He merely found the ship's communications officer intriguing. She was different, a human to be observed and studied, for all of the potential she possessed. It was perfectly logical.

At least, that was what he concluded.

*** * ***

Prior to working on the _Enterprise_, one of his duties as a post-doc Starfleet graduate was to be an instructor. Because he was considered an expert in many areas, the Academy deans allowed him to choose what subjects he wanted to teach. He decided to teach Humanoid Semantics and Syntax, Advanced Morphology and Phonology, Political Systems of non-Terran Societies, and Advanced Translations. For senior cadets, he allowed linguistic participation in the Kobayashi Maru exam as part of a seminar course on subspace transmissions. His classes were such that he was able to get the best of the best; all others were weeded out in previous semesters.

However, even the best of the best were far below his standards.

He first encountered Uhura as a second-year cadet in his Humanoid Semantics and Syntax course. She was attractive, eager, punctual and studious. Her grades were decent. However, she had an annoying habit of sneaking and eating candy in his class. He did not allow food or drink to be consumed in the lecture hall, so her complete violation of the rule made him want to kick her out of the class. But, even though her grades were merely decent (high Bs, low As), she was still the best student in his class that semester.

However, Spock did not take violations lightly. He waited until he saw her pop a chocolate sphere into her mouth to ask her a question.

"Cadet Uhura," he said, staring directly at her, "please clarify the specific distinction between Vulcan and Romulan hermeneutics."

She, her mouth full of chocolate, could not answer right away. Spock raised an eyebrow and stared at her.

"Cadet, is there a problem? Do I need to repeat the question?"

He watched her struggle to swallow the chocolate. "Sir…Vulcan…hermeneutics…and…"

"Cadet, is there a reason why you cannot answer the question?"

"No…sir." The chocolate was thick, silky and wonderful. It was also stuck in her throat.

"Then please, answer it. We are waiting."

Uhura closed her eyes, took a deep breath and tried to swallow the lump in her throat, started coughing and had to excuse herself for a drink of water. Spock watched her excuse herself, and then turned his attention back to the class.

When class was over, she was the last to leave. He waited patiently for her to pack her things. When she was finished, she was prepared to stomp out of the hall, but he called her over.

"Cadet."

She glared at him, her dark eyes flashing with anger and embarrassment. "Sir?"

"There is no food or drinks allowed in this lecture hall. I suggest you keep that in mind."

"Sir, I did not have any—"

"I beg to differ," he said. "The chocolate you were eating when I called on you, is that not considered food?"

She closed her eyes. "I apologize for my violation of your rules, sir. It will not happen again."

"I trust that it will not, Cadet. You are dismissed."

It didn't.

*

In her third year, she took his Advanced Morphology and Phonology course, as well as Advanced Translations. He found her to be more controlled, less impulsive. He never saw her with a chocolate sphere. Her grades were much better as a junior cadet (mid-range As), but still below his considerable standards. She sat front and center, recording his lectures, scribbling notes and listening intently. He knew from her questions that she studied her material every night. He was pleased that she had made some progress.

The midterm in the AMP class was a twenty-five page analysis of Cardassian, Romulan and Klingon phonology. Although it was evident that she studied hard, her analysis left a lot to be desired. When he returned her paper, her face fell when she saw the abysmal grade at the top.

He was in his small, sterile office when she showed up. She was furious. He was fascinated.

"Commander, may I speak with you please?"

"Of course, Cadet. Please close the door."

She wanted to slam the door but didn't. Uhura pulled out her paper and held it out to him. "Commander, I do not understand why I did not get a satisfactory grade on this analysis. I spent two weeks writing this, and I included all of your requirements. I do not understand why I got a B-plus."

He barely glanced at the paper and it irritated her. "You confused the plosives and the fricatives of the Cardassian language with that of the Romulan language. You did not include the sibilants of the Klingon language. Such omissions are worthy of failure, Cadet. However, you were thorough in the other components of the paper, and so the percentages reflect that."

She was holding back tears. "You didn't even look at it."

"I beg to differ, Cadet. As you can tell by my markings, I examined your paper minutely."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "May I do a re-write?"

"It will not change your midterm grade, Cadet."

"Commander, may…I…do…a…re…write?"

"If you have the time to do so, of course you may. I will even look at it, if you wish."

"I will wish," she said, trying hard not to snap at him.

"Then, unless there is anything else, I have other matters to attend to."

"No, Commander. There is nothing else." She turned and stalked out of his office, leaving behind a mixed scent of salty tears and jasmine. He could not help but inhale.

When he got up to stand at the window, he saw her sitting on one of the quad benches, her face buried in her hands. She appeared to be crying. He was fascinated.

Her rewrite was exemplary and her final exam was perfection. She ended up with an A-minus in the course.

*

By the time she was a senior cadet, she was his only selection for participation in the Kobayashi Maru simulation and seminar. Uhura was often utilized often as a communicator for cadets who had to take the test. She had unmatched linguistics skills and incomparable sensory ability. She thrived under his tutelage and instruction. He could, if he chose, engage her in dialogue on any number of subjects. He admired her perseverance and devotion to be the best at what she could be. He appreciated her metamorphosis from an impulsive cadet to a devoted officer. He knew that she would excel in Starfleet. He took a modicum of credit for his part in her future success.

Spock assigned her to the _Farragut_. He knew that she wanted to work on the _Enterprise_. But he considered his high regard of her a sign of favoritism, so he assigned her to the _Farragut_. She wasn't hearing any of it. When she questioned him about it, he could see the change in her eyes. She was livid that he did not take her request seriously. After challenging and quoting him verbatim, Spock realized that he was the one who had to back down this time. The Uhura before him was a force to be reckoned with. Without a word, he made the adjustment on his PADD and clarified that she would be serving on the _Enterprise_.

She was, if possible, even more fascinating.

*

When Nero killed his mother and destroyed Vulcan, he had to abandon the captain's chair and she was there. There was no reason for her to be there; he had not endeared himself to her in any way, but she was there nonetheless. The turbolift air was tinted with her fragrance and he could not help but inhale.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

He stared into her beautiful luminous eyes, filled with tears and compassion. She felt the pain he could not express. She closed the distance between them, but hugged herself as if she did not know what to do with her hands. He knew that she wanted to touch him. He could sense that she wanted to hug him, but she didn't cross the line.

"What do you need? Tell me, what do you need?"

An inappropriate question coming from a subordinate, but Spock could not bring himself to call her on it. He looked at her, at her radiant eyes brimming with tears at his great and terrible loss, at her desire to console him when no one else bothered to do so, and something inside of him, something undeniably human, cracked his Vulcan exterior.

"I need everyone...to continue performing admirably," he was able to say.

She ran her hands over her arms and hugged herself tighter. She nodded, blinking slowly. "Okay," she said. Her eyes said more than that.

The turbolift doors opened and he walked out, not looking back. But he knew that she was. If he had been able to channel any emotion other than rage, it would have been fascination.

After his physical altercation on the bridge with Kirk, he learned that his father loved his mother. He learned that a pure Vulcan could love a human. He was half-human and he had the capacity to love as a human. But as he embraced his Vulcan heritage, he understood that they loved harder and deeper than humans, and such an expression of emotion was illogical. For his father to acknowledge that in the wake of his mother's death meant that he loved her deeply. And that it was all right for Spock to love that way as well.

That was another crack to his Vulcan shield.

*** * ***

A month after the Enterprise returned to Earth for repairs, Uhura came to him with a request.

"Sir, I would like to borrow the Enterprise's manuals for the communications lab and the bridge consoles."

He raised a brow. No one else had even bothered to inquire about such things, not even the captain.

"Commander, I need to be prepared for when we leave space dock. I need to examine those manuals and learn the specifics of how the ship works and my part in it. I was winging it for the most part during that first mission and I find that unacceptable."

"Certainly, Lieutenant. Your logic is sound."

She followed him into his office and waited while he stacked several PADDs on his desk. When he was done, he looked at her. She stood perfectly straight. Her uniform was impeccable. She was staring at him, her expression soft.

"Sir, are you all right?"

"I am perfectly well, Lieutenant. Why do you ask?"

"Commander…you recently suffered a great loss. I'm just concerned."

"There is no need to be," he said. "I am quite capable of performing up to task."

"Yes sir," she said.

"I shall carry these PADDs to your destination, as there are several and they are heavy."

"Thank you," she said.

They walked to the tiny flat where she was staying and she let him in. "You can sit them there, sir. Thank you again."

He put the PADDs down and adjusted his black Starfleet-issued jacket. "You are most welcome, Lieutenant."

Instead of leaving immediately, he took a moment to stare at her. She smiled and cocked her head to one side, much as he did when he was in thought. She was far more relaxed around him now than she used to be. He respected her. For Spock, that was significant.

"Commander?"

"Please return those manuals as soon as you can, Lieutenant Uhura. Have a pleasant day." He turned and walked out.

*** * ***

As a favor to Admiral Pike, he was sent to retrieve a pair of officers at a bar where many Starfleet officers gathered on their time off. Friday nights, beer went for the low price of $2 a pitcher. Which was why the place was fairly crowded. Spock did not like being in or around such places, but he admired the Admiral and was agreeable to his request.

When he entered, he realized very quickly that this was no ordinary Friday night. The bar was packed with customers, and it appeared that every person was focused on what was going on near the front of the bar. Curious, he turned to see what held everyone's attention. He realized that his observations of Lt. Uhura were incomplete. He also realized that his breathing had quickened.

There she was, in the middle of a sixteen square meter hardwood floor. She was moving to some music with which he was unfamiliar and her movements were…fascinating. She was graceful in her motions. He then recognized her attire was more revealing of certain physical characteristics than her Starfleet uniform was. Her hair moved as she did. There was a look on her face that he didn't immediately recognize, but when she smiled, he understood that she was enjoying herself.

Spock noticed that she captivated every single male species in the room, himself included. He forced himself to slow his breathing. He wanted to know why she was behaving in such a fashion. A forbidden thought slipped out of his controlled mind, leading him to understand that when it came to _her_, he did not have as much command of his emotions as he thought he did. He found himself watching her hands move over her body, her eyes closed, and her expression…_fascinating_.

Her obvious pleasure did nothing but emphasize his thought. It was unrestrained and fervent—_what does she feel like?_

Being a tactile telepath, Spock did not like to touch or be touched. He thought it was intrusive and impolite. Yet he was awestruck. And he found that he wanted to know. What _did_ the lovely Lt. Uhura feel like? He already knew how she smelled and how she looked. There were only three more senses to investigate. He found he wanted to do so.

Quantitative measures and intellectual observations were insufficient to answer that question. He inclined his head and raised his eyebrow, staring at the beauty on the floor. Spock found himself content, for now, just watching.

He was unable to get the images out of his mind. Outwardly, he was the epitome of helium gas; cool and inert. He was his normal, analytical self until she was around. He was not so preoccupied as to show it, but the fact of the matter was, he was distracted. He never spared her but the slightest of glances, addressed her using as few words as possible, and avoided standing near her unless duty warranted it. He needed to maintain control. He did not want any more unbridled thoughts surging forth. That last one was a mental adhesive. For her part, Lt. Uhura appeared not to notice any change in his behavior.

*** * ***

Vulcans required little sleep. Spock himself needed only three hours and when he needed them varied. Sometimes he walked at night. His favorite destination was the observation deck. There, he could stand in darkness and stillness and watch the stars. It was akin to meditation. The obs deck was a peaceful place. He chose a corner cloaked in shadows and could stand for hours. Here he could sort out his thoughts. Here he could tidy up the more tedious aspects of his position, aspects that the captain could not or did not want to be bothered with. He planned rotation shifts, personnel actions, consultations with the department heads, any number of menial tasks. He could reflect. It was on the observation deck, watching the stars elongate in colorful ribbons, that Spock found some peace with all that happened in the past few months.

One night, not long after the _Enterprise_ left for her mission, he was joined by someone else. He was standing in his favorite far corner when he heard Lt. Uhura say, "Computer, front central lights, thirty percent."

The area was immediately lit. She walked into the spot, tossing a towel nearby. She wore a tank top and Starfleet-issued sweats. Spock, despite being shrouded in darkness, could see her clearly. He was fairly confident that she could not see him. He was curious. It was 0230 hours and she was not resting in her quarters. Why? She worked an eight-to ten hour shift on the bridge and a four-to-six hour shift in the communications lab. She should be fatigued.

She freed her hair and removed the sweats. He ceased to wonder why she wasn't in her quarters and focused on her clothing. The white shorts she wore were a serious violation of Starfleet dress code and were completely immodest. They left nothing to the imagination. She began to do simple calisthenics and once again Spock's breathing accelerated. He flared his nostrils—she smelled of _Lonicera_ _japonica_—Terran honeysuckle. An enticing fragrance, to be sure.

Then she stood, adjusted something to her ears, stretched her arms and began to dance. For Spock, time fell away. Despite himself, his heartbeat quickened. All he could see and smell was her and he really wanted to know…_'what does she feel like…?'_

No one would have recognized that Spock was aroused. Only the merest tilt of an eyebrow and the minute flaring of his nostrils gave it away. His intense scrutiny merely led to more questions he would not be able to answer appropriately. Or logically, for that matter.

Another powerful thought: _'There is nothing logical about what you are thinking right at this moment.'_

And there was another crack to his Vulcan exterior. This one was fatal.

_**to be continued...**_


	4. Sugar Rush

**IV. Sugar Rush**

He got on her last nerve. On duty, she showed him nothing but the respect due him as captain. Mostly. It was hard. It was as if Kirk was deliberately trying to get under her skin. It felt like it was working. She could not get him out of her mind.

She had to admit that he was an extremely attractive man. Irish called him Captain Fine, and Uhura had to agree: her captain was _very_ fine. His eyes were as blue as a methane flame, eyes that grabbed you and forced you to pay attention to whatever he was saying. He had nice lips—she would admit to having stared at them for brief moments during lulls on the bridge. He had a great body; the male Starfleet uniforms were, if anything, wonderfully snug. Most importantly, the man had a commanding presence. Women were known to slingshot themselves at him, and as far as Uhura knew, he rejected not a one. A whore was what he was, captain or not, good looks notwithstanding.

Uhura knew for a very long time that Kirk desired her. He had said as much. She sometimes found his boyish antics at trying to get her to give him her first name endearing. And she acknowledged that he was a brilliant strategist and a bold leader; a better captain of the _Enterprise_ could not be found. She knew that in spite of his desire, she could learn a lot from him and did not find working under him the least bit repulsive. Most days, anyway. Some days, she could have cheerfully knifed her commanding officer and welcomed the punishment for doing so. He knew how to get a rise out of her and some days she had to wonder why it was so easy for him to do so if she hated him so much. Perhaps she didn't hate him at all. Perhaps it was something else. Maybe it was.

But his admiration of her changed over the past few months. It morphed into something else, something far more intense. She knew that it wasn't just lust. Her intuition told her that she had to be careful around him. Sometimes she noticed that he seemed to study her when his attention wasn't on something else. And then there were times when he stared at her, his eyes brazenly focused on hers. Then his gaze swept lower, over her lips. He never stared further than that, but it was enough. It was times like these—and they were rare (he was captain, after all)—where she could feel the heat in his eyes. He was not ashamed to let her know that he wanted her, and differently than he had when they were cadets. This was by far more serious than his Academy infatuation.

The first time he looked at her like that was on the bridge. They were on a diplomatic mission to establish a relationship between the Federation and the citizens of a small M-class planet out past Proxima Centauri. Negotiations went well and the away team gained permission from the citizens to establish a Federation outpost and exchange Ambassadors. The _Enterprise_ remained in orbit while Spock's away team completed preparations. Kirk was pacing back and forth, waiting on an update when he paused in front of Uhura's station. She was, as always, listening.

"Lieutenant," he said, his voice low enough for her to hear. She turned and looked at him. He met her gaze and she was unable to look away.

"Yes, Captain?" she replied.

He stared for what felt like hours but was only moments. There was desire—white hot—in his eyes. Being a communications expert, Uhura read what was in and behind his powerful gaze and her cheeks blossomed with color. She turned back to her console, managing a "yes sir," even though he had asked nothing of her. Verbally, that was.

She managed to maintain her composure, but the moment she got back to her quarters, she needed to take a shower to cool off. _What_ had happened and _when_ had it happened?

As had become part of her routine when she worked beta shift, she went back to her quarters and decompressed for twenty minutes. Then she changed into shorts and a tank, covered herself in Starfleet sweats, grabbed her music clip, a towel and some water and headed for the observation deck. The obs deck was usually deserted and allowed her the freedom to dance unfettered and unrestrained. She supposed she had Gaila and Irish to thank for that. Since the bar experience, Uhura began dancing again. It was the best stress reliever she had. Sex would have been better, but it just wasn't an option. Her standards were high. So she settled for dancing.

It enabled her to relax and release. It helped her to sleep soundly, which had a positive effect on her work. It helped with her composure and kept her nerves calm. And since she kept a regular routine, the exercise helped her get in better shape. She was toned. Her arms and calves curved nicely and there was a lot less cellulite around her upper thighs. Her ass had more definition and her buttocks definitely were higher. Her abdominals were flat. However, the dancing did nothing to enhance her breast size, which she desperately wanted. A little more cleavage would be nice to have, but it ultimately didn't matter because the Starfleet uniforms were positively Victorian above the waist. Below the waist was another matter altogether. Who designed such a contradictory female uniform? Probably some perv with a leg fetish.

When she danced, she was free. The colors of the galaxy streamed in, augmenting her light with a kaleidoscope. The only thing on her mind was her movements, and they were improvised. She never planned anything; she just let go and did what she felt like. If any of her colleagues or superiors saw her, she knew she would be reprimanded for not only wearing unsuitable clothing, but also for indecent and risqué behavior. Her movements were positively scandalous. Commander Spock would have a Vulcan-style conniption fit and there was no telling what Captain Kirk would do if he found out.

Considering the look of open desire on his face when he looked at her sometimes, she didn't think he would reprimand her. If she was right about what she saw in his eyes and her instincts told her that she was. Should she call him on it? Dare she? How did it make her feel to know that he wanted her?

Truth be told, it made her feel good. She was not an ordinary woman and James Kirk was not an ordinary man.

*** * ***

Candy—especially chocolate—was her weakness. She kept a stash in a box under her bed, as if anyone would search her quarters looking for contraband confections. Uhura inherited her sweet tooth from her father, and it was one of the few vices she had. Sexy shoes were another vice, though it was not one she could indulge while on board the starship. Damn those regulations that mandated the wear of those hideously uncomfortable and unflattering mukluks. What she wouldn't do for a pair of strappy sandals, red stilettos, or calf-hugging leather boots. But candy…now that she could treat herself to, and she did so with relish.

She remembered the one time back at the Academy when she popped a decadent Lindor milk truffle in her mouth and Commander Spock chose that moment to call on her and she nearly choked. Since then, she kept her candy snacking in class to a minimum. That was one of the rare days when she thought him a Vulcan bastard. Didn't stop her from eating candy, however.

The _Enterprise's_ commissary was blessedly stocked with all kinds of candy, Terran and otherwise. She made secret frequent trips to stack up on whatever goodies were available. Some days, she would sneak a few treats to the bridge to enjoy on those long hours at her console when three quarters of what she heard was either meaningless gibberish or nothing at all. The reward of a caramel, a chocolate square, or a fruity gel was enough to get her through those tedious times. She did her best to hide her snacking from the captain, and most definitely Spock.

Uhura made sure to make her visits to the commissary at a time when she knew Kirk wouldn't be around. She knew that he would have something snide to say about her fixation. He was just that way.

She walked among the clear containers, filled with a multitude of sugary confections, trying to decide what she wanted. Oh, there was a variety of Cardassian caramels, so creamy and sweet and could melt on the tongue. Mmn, Betazoid butter toffees—Irish's fault for introducing her to those sinful things. Ummm, Ferengi Fire Puffs; just the right amount of sour and sweet. Saurian Swizzle Stix…lovely powdery goodness! Bajoran taffy, nice and sticky; Andorian Jujubees, soft and colorful with a hard sugar coating; heavenly! Oooh, Deltan nut clusters…how could she possibly choose? And then her favorites…good old fashioned Terran Blow-Pops, Gummy Bears, and Snickers Bars.

"Give me a quarter kilogram of each," she said to the clerk, pointing to the Cardassian caramels, Betazoid toffee, and the Andorian jujubees. Then she grabbed a handful of Blow Pops, three Snickers Bars, and a sack of Gummy Bears. She looked around to ensure that no one had walked in while she was making her wicked purchase. It was going to be a happy time the moment she got back to her quarters.

The clerk bagged her candy and handed her the sack. She pressed her index finger into the ID pad and the computer deducted the cost of the candy from her credits. Uhura turned to leave the commissary and ran into the captain.

"Damn," she muttered under her breath. So much for the happy time. Was he stalking her?

"So," he said, eyes traveling appreciatively over her face, "what did you get?"

"Nothing, sir." She tried not to roll her eyes. Why was he here? He should be on the bridge.

"That bag is bulging, Lieutenant. 'Nothing' doesn't bulge. What did you purchase? I'm curious."

"Captain, this is a private matter. Please don't pry."

He cocked his head and looked at her. Uhura met his stare and took a deep breath. Dare she hope he would let this go? Dare she hope he would let her walk away without saying anything?

Who was she kidding? This was the man who lived to get on her nerves. He stared at her and there was nothing innocent in his gaze. His voice lowered and he leaned close to her. "What did you get? I want to know."

Would it be impertinent for her to walk away from him in front of the clerk, who Uhura knew to be watching? No. It wasn't professional. She wouldn't disrespect him like that. She wondered if she should lie.

"Tampons, Captain." Uhura hoped he would be embarrassed. She squeezed the bag's handles so that he couldn't see inside. She would prefer him to think that she was having her period rather than indulging in sweets. Menstruating was normal. Her obsession with candy was not.

"Oh really," he said, his tone teasing. "Why don't I believe that? It's not like you've been irritable this week."

Screw what the clerk thought. Uhura glared at Kirk and walked out of the commissary. He followed, of course, and then said, "Lieutenant?"

She stopped and turned slowly, hating him with every fiber of her being. "Yes, Captain?"

He walked up to her, closing the distance in three quick strides. She found herself staring at his neck. He leaned by her ear and she couldn't help but inhale his scent. He smelled good. She closed her eyes.

"Kindly do not walk away from me in front of our crew members, please. That's grounds for insubordination."

"I'm sorry sir," she said. She recognized that he was being extraordinarily lenient. "Permission to speak freely?"

"As long as you keep your voice down." Kirk stared at her. She met his gaze and was unsure of what she saw.

"I apologize for my behavior moments ago, sir. But you are really, really starting to bug the hell out of me. Why do you care so much about what I bought?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he said. He wasn't smiling and the light in his blue eyes wasn't playful like it usually was when he addressed her. "I know that you didn't buy tampons. I know when you're having your period. So what's in the bag?"

"You know when I'm having my…?" She closed her eyes and felt her face go hot. "How do you know _that_?"

He smiled lazily and Uhura took a female moment to appreciate how it lit up his eyes. Kirk was heart-stoppingly handsome, or he could be if he didn't fight so much. There was a fading bruise on his left cheekbone. Someone recently got in a good sucker punch. She wished it had been her. "I just know. Tell me what you bought. You know I won't stop bugging until you give in."

She looked at him. Why did it feel like his last words meant more than what they seemed? Uhura sighed. There was no use in delaying the inevitable and she didn't feel like fighting with him today. She wanted to eat her candy. "Tell me how you know when I…and I'll tell you what's in the bag."

He smiled again. "You have this look, like you don't want to be bothered. You tend to be quieter than normal. You rub your stomach when you're at your console—you never do it otherwise. You drink hot chocolate instead of tea. And I get my confirmation from Spock, who can sense your hormonal changes. It's wise to be prepared when you have a lone female in the command crew. We need to maintain harmony, which means no irritating you when Aunt Flo's visiting."

Uhura knew that he was perfectly serious. She was not sure about how she felt about the fact that he paid such close attention to her. She wasn't even sure if she was upset that he respected the fact that she was sometimes moody. He had a point. "Spock can sense—" She was mortified. "Aunt Flo?"

"Don't be embarrassed," he said, tucking loose hair behind her ear and catching her lobe between his fingers. He stroked it. "It's normal. And don't worry that everyone can tell when you're on. I'm just observant. But I thought McCoy developed a hypo to combat PMS."

Touching her ear like that sent a bolt right to her core. She groaned. "It doesn't work. He's a man. What the hell does _he_ know about PMS?" She held out the sack. "Promise me you won't bring this up again."

He smiled. "I promise on the lives of my unborn children, my future wife, my—"

"You are a gargoyle," she said and handed him the sack. He opened it and actually, actually looked surprised. Uhura held out her hand for her bag.

"Hey! Can I get one of those—"

"Yes," she said, trying not to snap. She was embarrassed. He reached into the sack and pulled out a Snickers bar. Kirk gave her back her bag and opened the candy wrapper. He bit into the chocolate bar and there was a moment of blessed bliss. Uhura had to smile. She recognized the look on his face; it was the same one she had when enjoying a sweet. She began walking back to her quarters, and to her annoyance and amusement, he followed, finishing the candy bar in four bites.

"I haven't had one of those in ages. Thank you, Lieutenant."

"You're welcome, sir."

They walked in companionable silence, passing other crew members. Uhura held her bag close to her body. Why was he here? Why wasn't she mad about it?

"So why is it such a big secret?"

"Did you see how much candy I bought?"

"Yeah. So?"

She shook her head. "It's no secret. I like candy."

"If it weren't a secret, you would have told me right away."

She stopped at her quarters. "I don't like everyone knowing my business, sir. I would prefer that you didn't share this with anyone."

"What are you afraid of?"

"Nothing," she said. Her door swooshed open and she walked in.

"Can I come in?"

"Why? Why are you stalking me?" she asked. Just when she thought she figured him out, he came at her a different way. "Shouldn't you be on the bridge? Don't you have somewhere to report to?"

"Yes," he said. "Here. To you." Kirk walked in and the door closed. "Spock has the conn. There's nothing going on. I wanted to see you."

Uhura sighed. Now she wasn't sure about anything anymore. "What can I do for you, Captain?"

He was looking around her living area, looking for little things to pique his interest and irritate her about later. Thrown over her chair was a pair of shorts and a tank top. Kirk stared at the clothing a moment longer than necessary.

Uhura put the bag down and reached in. She grabbed the sack of caramels, took one out and popped it in her mouth. The rich, buttery sweet taste of the caramel was like a short vacation. She closed her eyes and allowed the candy to melt on her tongue and enjoyed the sugar rush. Absently, her fingers trailed over her throat.

Kirk watched her, his expression a mixture of desire and desperation. She always made him feel like a high school frosh with a crush.

After the caramel melted, she almost grabbed another but then remembered she had a guest.

"Captain," she said. "What can I do for you? What do you want?"

Kirk looked into her eyes, boldly holding her gaze. Bones was right. This had gone on long enough. It was time to man up. Time to slap the cards on the table. Time to go all in. "Nyota, I want you."

Uhura looked at him and shook her head. "You want me for what?" A giggle escaped her. He wasn't serious.

Kirk glared at her. "You think I'm being funny?"

"Aren't you always trying to be funny? Or irritating? Or annoying?" She laughed again.

The way he looked at her then made the laughter go right out of her. The same white heat that she'd seen in his eyes before was there again. He gazed at her hungrily and took a deep breath. "I promise you, I have never been more serious in my life. I. Want. You." He swept his eyes up and down her body.

Uhura shivered and her nipples tightened. His eyes were like hands. "Sir, if I may speak freely?"

He glanced at her chest before looking at her eyes. "By all means, Lieutenant."

"It is _really_ inappropriate for you to look at me in that way." She folded her arms across her bosom.

"I'm well aware of that."

"If that's the case, then why are you toeing the line? You _are_, you know."

"I know. I'm about to step right over it. Nyota, I want you. I _want_ you. I know that there is a history between us, a history you're not fond of, but you are intelligent enough to realize when all a man craves is your attention."

Those cobalt blue eyes of his were doing a number on her senses. They revealed everything his voice did not.

She stared at him. She could not believe he was serious. "Is that what all this is about? You trying to get my attention? There are better ways, you know."

"When I tried those ways, they didn't work. You barely noticed me. What else was I supposed to do? Surely you're not so obtuse that you can't see I'm crazy about you."

"Captain, I'm _not_ obtuse!" And just like that, she was irritated again. "Why do you deliberately try to anger me? Why do you try to get under my skin? Why do you do that to me?" She wanted to hate him, but she could not let those blue eyes go. They were breaking her resolve, bit by bit. Uhura always knew that Kirk lusted after her, but anything else? The man wasn't capable of that. He just wasn't capable…

He walked over to her. The heat in his eyes was undeniable. "Am I under your skin?" he asked.

Uhura took a deep breath. There was no point in lying. "Yes."

"Good," he murmured, moving that same bit of hair back behind her ear. He tweaked her earlobe again. "Then we're even, because I lose my ability to think straight when I'm around you."

A moment passed where they just stared at each other. She got warm. "Captain, I…" The _Enterprise_ could have burned down and she wouldn't have realized it.

"You know that I've wanted you since the night we met. You _know_ that. I know you dismissed me because you thought I was a dumb hick who only had sex with farm animals; thus incapable of anything serious. That was four years ago. Everything has changed except my desire for you. I want you, Nyota. I want to be with you."

"Captain…"

"Jim."

"Sir, I don't…"

"I know that you're attracted to me. I can feel the energy between us." He moved closer. She backed away from him until her thighs bumped against her table. Uhura stared up at him.

"There's no energy between us, sir." She said it with a straight face, but knew she was lying. If she wasn't affected by him, there was no way he could hassle her. If there was no chemistry, she wouldn't be bothered by his nearness. Her skin wasn't thick enough. And she was affected by his proximity. She really was.

"There is," he said, gazing at her mouth. "It draws me to you. I can't fight it anymore. I don't want to fight it. And admit it, you enjoy our back and forth as much as I do."

Uhura tried to be the voice of reason. "Captain, this is against regulations!"

"Do I look like I give a damn about Starfleet regulations?"

She bristled. "Well, sir…it's not like you're inclined to follow them, but this is different. You're my boss; it would be inappropriate for us to be involved intimately. I will not jeopardize my career for a fling."

"So you want to be intimate with me? I'm glad that it isn't one-sided. And if you think this is a fling, you're going to be very surprised when time passes and I'm still with you."

"Yeah," she said, rolling her eyes. "_That's_ going to happen."

He stepped closer. Uhura stared up at him. His eyes were a beautiful, endless blue. And his closeness did nothing to alleviate her warmth. He smelled so good. She closed her eyes, bringing her hands up in a feeble attempt to ward him off. She closed her eyes. This wasn't happening. It had to be just a fling, because her captain put the 'boy' in playboy. He wasn't her type. He wasn't who she would choose if she could. Was he? Did she really know James T. Kirk? Who was this man standing before her?

"You don't believe me?"

"No. I _don't_ believe you, sir. I can't."

"Why? Call me Jim. Say my name."

"Frankly, _Jim_, you get on my nerves. You annoy me. You aggravate me. Sometimes you make me so angry that I could kill you. I have thought about killing you. Many times."

"Good. That means that you _are_ affected by me."

"How can I not be? I'm not allowed to ignore you, or I would."

"Could you ignore me, Nyota? Can you? Right now?"

She closed her eyes. "Captain…"

"Jim. Oh baby would work as well."

"I can't—I never knew that you felt like _this_."

"Sure you did. I have been as obvious as I could be, other than saying it and trying to keep away from a harassment charge or a punch in the mouth. I'm telling you now because I can't take it anymore."

Uhura breathed deeply. This man wasn't the captain she knew. The man before her radiated a sexiness she hadn't believed her captain was capable of. Was this how he made all those other women feel? No wonder they couldn't resist him. She didn't know how long she would be able to. Her knees were weak. She thought she might faint. She was definitely moist.

"Sir, you know what a cad you are. You know that you'll sleep with anything that has breasts and a vagina. You're capricious about sex and I'm unwilling to put myself out there for you to hurt me like that." There. She said it.

Kirk cupped the side of her face. He grazed his thumb over her cheek. "That's just release. I can give that up for you. I will give it up if I have a chance with you. This isn't about sex."

Lust notwithstanding, she had to concentrate on the issue at hand. If she was seriously contemplating considering what he was telling her. "How do I know that? All I know is what you have shown me. You've shown me that you're incapable of commitment. I've seen you with dozens of girls, and heaven knows how many more you've bedded on your excursions. You can't even pass a woman without leering at her. You're a whore! I can't be bothered with all that."

"Nyota, I'm at a point in my life where I require more than sex. I'm bored with that, and I never thought I'd ever say it. But I need something more, something to anchor me. I need you. I will give all that up if you will give me your heart. I promise you, I'll cherish it." He lifted her hand and gently kissed her fingers. His hand was large. She wondered if its size was indicative of the size of another body part. Irish told her that one time, but she hadn't believed it.

'_I do not need to be thinking these things.'_

"I don't _give_ my heart, Captain. It's not a gift. It's a prize."

"Jim," he said. "Then let me win it. Let me show you that I'm not playing with you. If you are not convinced, then I will leave you alone."

"You are serious?"

He ran his thumb over her lips. "As serious as my responsibility is to this ship and its crew."

The intensity in Kirk's voice and his eyes were staggering, nearly mind-blowing. She was going to have to think about this. Then she looked at his mouth. His lower lip was full. Irish would have called it luscious. Uhura never thought that her trip to get a bag of candy would lead to a sugar rush like _this_. She closed her eyes. She wanted to kiss him. He needed to leave. Now.

"I need some time," she said. "I need…time." What she needed was for him to get away from her before she capitulated to her desire to kiss him.

"All right," he said. He gazed at her for a very long moment and then pressed his lips to her forehead. Then he turned and left. After he was gone, she collapsed on her couch. She couldn't help it; he made her tingle. Tingle and burn.

**_to be continued..._**


	5. Hot Flash

**V. Hot Flash**

After Uhura's next shift rotation on the bridge and some more hours spent in the communications lab, she realized that Kirk wasn't the only one whose attention she commanded. He was very subtle about it. But he also made no pretense. She noticed that Commander Spock noticed her.

His Vulcan sensibilities would not allow him to be obvious. But after having worked closely with him on the bridge as an officer, she had a good sense of what he chose to react to and what he didn't. He was responding to her. Not like a normal man; he was, after all, half-Vulcan. He was always the first to greet her when she showed up on the bridge. Whenever he spoke directly to her, he held eye contact for a second longer than was necessary. He had human eyes, and while she instinctively understood that his nature would not allow him to reveal even the faintest bit of emotion, there were some things that he could not repress. And she, being a skilled communicator, picked up on those little ocular betrayals.

Her experiences with the commander went back to her Academy days. He had humiliated her for eating candy in class—an innocent thing, but he made her feel like she had when she was a child; slapped on the hand for getting caught with it in the cookie jar. She hated him then.

When she was a junior cadet, he destroyed her phonology midterm after she spent two weeks in the media quadrant, barely eating and sleeping, writing the damned paper. He butchered it just because she confused two little things. But she was mad enough to rewrite the entire thing and resubmit it, even though he did not change her grade. He always made her feel like she had to step up to the plate and try again.

He had said, "May I congratulate you on a superior effort, Cadet Uhura. Had you turned in this analysis instead, your class average would be significantly higher."

"Thank you, sir."

He stared at her for a moment before dismissing her. Uhura decided that she didn't really hate him, but she didn't like him. That changed over the next few months when he selected her to be in the Kobayashi Maru seminar and simulation. She was the only one he chose from his class. Uhura discovered that she was able to hold her own with him, and as long as her logic and argument were sound, he was pleasant to be around. He challenged her and she always rose up to meet it. In spite of the fact that he was her superior, she found it stimulating that she could keep up with him. Most people couldn't. Spock could think around corners and that appealed to her on so many levels.

When he lost his mother and his home world, she could not help but hurt for him. No one in the galaxy could take such a blow and not feel it, not even a Vulcan. He abruptly left the bridge and she abandoned her post. She wanted to reach out to him; she had to. Uhura wanted to cry for him and hug him, and in the turbolift, it was all she could do not to. She wanted him to know that she was there for him, that she was ready to do anything he needed. Uhura recognized that she was the only one to make such an overture to him, and she didn't know if he knew that, but it didn't matter. She ached for his loss.

He was the epitome of professional on the bridge. He was there to assist her if she required it. He actually spoke with her about things unrelated to the mission at hand. He was a fascinating man, layered like an onion, but with a steely outer shell. She learned the minutiae of his movement and became familiar with his few facial expressions. In other words, she could tell when he was amused, annoyed, or curious. No one else could.

So when she realized that he noticed her beyond her duties as a Starfleet officer, she was surprised. Was Commander Spock affected by their prior relationship? Had she actually been able to put a dent in the man's stoic façade? She hadn't even tried to do so, unlike the other female cadets who openly flirted with him and were soundly dissed.

Uhura caught him staring at her in the mess hall. She was having lunch with McCoy's new head nurse and one of the medical assistants, enjoying the camaraderie when she felt it. She looked up. He was standing across the room, holding a cup of tea, and he was looking directly at her, his striking dark eyes holding hers. Uhura found herself breathing deeply. If he intended for her to respond to such a heated gaze, she complied. That he was openly staring spoke volumes. The look was clear: _'I'm staring at you and I want you to know it.'_

Uhura fanned herself. "Is it hot in here?" she asked. Her companions shook their heads.

"No. Are you okay? You look flushed." McCoy's nurse, Brenda, flashed a look of concern. "Should I do a reading?"

Uhura broke eye contact with Spock to glare at Brenda. "If you whip that tricorder out…"

"I'm just acknowledging that you look warm, Nyota. There's a color in your cheeks that wasn't there a moment ago. You're not getting sick, I hope."

"No, it isn't _that_," she murmured. When she looked back in his direction, he was gone and she was hot.

*****

Spock was responding in ways he would consider illogical. The lieutenant was fascinating on every level. He couldn't help but acknowledge his fondness for her. He enjoyed their time on the bridge. He enjoyed the conversations they had. He really enjoyed her nighttime dances; they unleashed in him a desire, a need, a want…something he had never felt before. It was unfamiliar yet welcome. He supposed it was his humanity trying to emerge.

He realized that she still had a predilection for sweets. That amused him. More than once, he watched her pop some sort of confection into her mouth while she was on the bridge. The expression that crossed her face when she ate the candy was one of ecstasy. He did not make any remarks to her about it whatsoever. The lieutenant had earned her place on the bridge, and her penchant for candy was insignificant compared to the ongoing chitchat between Mr. Chekov and Mr. Sulu, Dr. McCoy's abrasive comments to anyone who would listen, Scotty's notoriety for being somewhat inebriated sometimes while on duty, and the captain's lack of discretion with his intimate dalliances aboard the ship. Scuttlebutt was very much alive, and while Spock did not deign to participate, his position as XO required him to be aware of the temperature of the ship's crew. He knew _everything_.

Spock noticed that Uhura walked slower and that she touched her person more often. She didn't appear to be in a hurry and she seemed very relaxed now. Sometimes he would see her running her hands over her thighs or hips, or her fingers grazing her neck or arm, and he wondered again what she felt like. Her movements were very sensual and very enticing, but she did not seem to do it purposefully. It was as if she was appreciating her femininity. Certainly the other officers did and Spock was no different. He wanted to touch her. He wanted to know if she was as soft and smooth as she looked. It was inappropriate, but it was there all the same. He could no longer control the need to inform her of his attraction. It was a grassfire spreading throughout his blood.

After meeting her eyes in the cafeteria one day, he followed her to her quarters. She walked with confidence and style, one hand on her neck, oblivious to her surroundings. Some of the crew members did a double-take when she passed by, male and female. He was amused but not surprised that she elicited such a response. The woman was stunning.

*** **

Uhura was returning to her quarters in an absolute daze. Even though it had been no more than twenty minutes since leaving the mess hall, Uhura could not remember what she ate for lunch, with whom she ate her lunch, or what they talked about. All she could think about was the way the commander looked at her. Irish and Gaila practically swooned over him, but she had never noticed him _that_ way. His reputation was what got her attention, but she needed to acknowledge that her girlfriends were right. When it came to Commander Spock, she had obviously missed something.

Uhura stroked her neck, sighing. She wasn't about to miss anything else. It was time to examine what, when and how things had changed between him and her. That look indicated that they had. She was considering the possible ramifications when suddenly Spock was in step beside her. He had a long stride and he adjusted to accommodate her shorter one. That she had not noticed him until he was beside her said volumes about her distraction. Uhura had not been able to get those eyes out of her mind. She was still hot.

"Commander," she acknowledged.

"Lieutenant," he returned.

She stopped at her door and turned to face him. "Sir, what can I do for you?"

He met her eyes and she saw one of those revealing little optical betrayals. Something was definitely there, or he wouldn't be here. In spite of herself, her gaze traveled over the planes of his face to his lips. How had she failed to notice that the commander had lovely facial features? How had she not noticed that the commander was just plain lovely? His lips were perfectly shaped. Uhura stared at his mouth for a good ten seconds. Other than the eyebrow going up, Spock was motionless and did not call her on it.

"Sir," she asked again, feeling her nerves start to fray. Why had she openly stared at his mouth? Uhura took a deep breath. When he raised his eyebrow, liquid warmth radiated from her insides out and her breathing became ragged. She'd seen him do it before, but he had never directed it towards her. She tried to slow her breathing. That eyebrow thing was fierce! How had she missed _that_?

And then she was just openly staring at him, really really seeing how attractive he was.

'_I need to get my radar fixed. I need to get my girl parts checked. I cannot believe I have seen this man regularly for almost four years and not noticed how sexy he is. What is wrong with me?'_

He merely stared back and still did not say anything about the brazen way she was checking him out.

She sighed. Uhura would have to let Irish and Gaila know that they were right about Vulcan sexiness. Who knew? Apparently Irish did. Commander Spock was _fine_. Then Uhura had to check herself. She was doing to Commander Spock what Captain Kirk did to her. She knew how Kirk's look made her feel; was Spock responding the same way?

'_What am I doing? I just checked out my commanding officer! What am I doing? What is wrong with me? I'm about to get in trouble.'_

"Commander," she said, wiping her palms on her uniform. She may as well cool off, because she knew she was about to get chastised. She was ready for her reprimand.

"Lieutenant, may I ask a personal query?" he said, his voice lower than normal.

"Yes, sir?" she said before she thought.

"I have observed that you do some exotic form of calisthenics at night."

She closed her eyes. Oh no! He'd seen her dancing. That was why he was looking at her. She was about to get in serious trouble. Spock was notorious for sticking to regulation and she had violated quite a few rules. Not to mention that she'd just undressed him with her eyes.

Uhura inhaled. "Yes sir. I apologize for breaking the rules, but…"

"I infer that you refer to your improper attire outside of your quarters?"

"I know that it's not Starfleet-issued, but it feels…"

He raised an eyebrow. "You did not allow me to finish my query."

"Oh," she said, her voice a whimper. There was that eyebrow again. She took another breath.

"Why do you do that?"

Uhura looked at him, unable for a moment to find a suitable response. "Sir?" she squeaked. This had quickly gotten out of hand and she did not know how to recover. And he had reduced her to a babbling idiot in less than ten seconds. She was supposed to be an expert communicator.

'_I used to be so much smoother than this.'_

"Did you hear me, Lieutenant? I can repeat myself if you so desire."

"Sir, it's…I do it because it helps me to relax. It helps me to sleep. It reduces my stress."

He gave her the briefest of nods. "That is logical. I have noticed."

'_What else have you noticed?'_

"I know it doesn't justify the inappropriateness of my clothing. It's just that it all feels better when I have as much skin contact as I can. I apologize for my blatant disregard of regulation. You have my word that it won't happen again."

She discerned another one of those little ocular slips. He blinked slowly. Spock had magnificent mocha irises, made all the more beguiling whenever he raised one of his elegantly shaped brows. Uhura sighed again, noticing the way his long eyelashes curled onto his cheeks. It was ridiculous that he had such lovely natural ones when she had to supplement hers with fakes. Uhura sighed once more. The commander had devastating eyes. Irish called him Commander Hotness, and Uhura had to agree that the Vulcan was steaming hot. How had she spent three and a half years as his student and not noticed what a gorgeous man he was? How, how, _how_??? She needed her eyes examined. His next words nearly made her moist.

"Lieutenant, I sincerely hope that will not be the case. I did not ask you to apologize. Nor is this query in any way a reprimand for your actions or your attire."

"Then sir, may I ask what it is?"

"It is a compliment. I find your movement fascinating."

"Oh," she said again. Then she realized she had to know how he knew. "Sir, how did you know that I…"

"I have been watching you for three months, two weeks, four days, six hours, twenty minutes and forty-two seconds."

She could not hide her gasp. That meant he had been watching her from the beginning; two weeks after the Enterprise left space dock. Down to the second. It made her shiver to know that she'd had his attention that long. "But I have never seen you. How were you able to see me when I never saw you?"

"I am there before you arrive. I do not leave until you leave. I remain hidden in the dark. However, Lieutenant, I do not believe you would have noticed anything beyond your movement. You appear to be…what is the expression? Lost in your own world? I found it best not to alert you to my presence."

He did not tell her that he enjoyed watching her. That watching her heated him from the inside out. That she produced in him a response he would classify as human, therefore illogical, yet he responded to her just the same. And he couldn't help himself.

Uhura lowered her eyes. "I am, sir. I am free when I dance. I hope that I have not offended you."

Spock used the tip of his finger to raise her chin so that she could look at him. The touch of his finger on her skin was a hot flash, a lightning bolt. Then she really was flushed and breathing hard. The message he transmitted was clear as glass. He liked her and he wanted her.

"On the contrary, Lt. Uhura. If I may, I would like to have your permission to continue to observe you."

What? She did not hear him correctly. He did _not_ just tell her he wanted to watch her dance.

"I find your movement enticing. I thought it best that I inform you of my attendance."

"Sir, you have been watching me all along and I never knew it. You could have said nothing and…and kept doing it. I would not have noticed."

"It is best that you know that I am there. I trust that you will not alter your behavior or your calisthenics knowing that I am watching."

He touched her chin again. She closed her eyes. Her stomach did a somersault. And she realized that he evoked a very female, very primal response in her. She clenched her thighs together for two reasons. One of them was to stop her legs from trembling.

Spock sniffed and then allowed his finger to drift across her cheek. Uhura opened her eyes. His expression had not changed, but she saw that he made no attempt to hide the intensity in his gaze. He wanted her to see it. He removed his finger and resumed his normal stance.

"Sir?" Either she had lost her mind or was currently losing it.

'_Oh my g…! Oh my…oh…oh…ohhhh!'_

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

Uhura's mind was blown. "Sir, I don't know how to react to this—to your request."

"If my sense of smell serves me correctly, you already have." Her pheromones were exotic and pleasing. She was responding to him as well. Good. The attraction was not one-sided. This had not been an exercise in futility.

The breath went right out of her.

He raised his eyebrow again. "Please do not modify your schedule or your instinctual ability to move in a way that I find stimulating. It would be illogical."

"All right." Her voice was a squeak.

He nodded. "Good day, Lt. Uhura."

"Good day, sir."

He stepped back. She turned and entered her quarters. When her door closed, she was able to make it to her bedroom before collapsing. Uhura was officially undone.

So much for the Vulcan conniption fit.

**_to be continued... _**


	6. Chemistry

VI. Chemistry

He had been banging—there really was no better description for it—McCoy's new head nurse; who was aptly titled. She was a warm, receptive partner who asked no questions and made no demands, other than to please him and be pleased by him. When he left her—he never spent the night—he was physically sated. However, the feeling lasted as long as it took for him to lay eyes on her.

Kirk was losing his mind, or so it felt like it. Uhura hadn't yet responded, in spite of his smitten stares. He paced the bridge like a caged panther at times, tense and terse. Whenever he felt his temper was getting short, he remained in his ready room. His feelings for her had yet to affect his ability to be an efficient captain, but he honestly wasn't sure how long he could maintain control. All he wanted was an answer. He was crazy about her. He craved her with an obsession beyond anything he'd ever known. It was always that which was denied him that drove him, and Uhura's rebuff of his very existence as a man fueled his desire for her. That she had actually laughed at him when he was at his most sincere bothered him more than he wanted to admit.

McCoy, perceptive as always, called him on it. They were having lunch in the officers' dining room. Uhura had walked out while they were walking in. She met his eyes with a brief and casual, "Sir," and greeted McCoy. Kirk wanted to go after her, but he knew better. He was barely eating, sitting in his chair with a hand over his eyes. McCoy was amused.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing," he said. He tried not to chuckle, but the sight was a rare one indeed. James T. Kirk, captain of the Enterprise and a shoo-in for Starfleet's Gigolo of the Year, pining over a woman.

"What the hell are you talking about, Bones?"

McCoy chuckled. "Lt. Uhura. She broke you down like a decommissioned starship."

Kirk groaned and put his other hand over his eyes. "I don't need to hear this from you."

"Damn it, Jim! Just tell her."

"I did."

"Well, tell her again! You're killing me here! You're moping around like somebody just kicked your dog."

"How should I phrase it without being drawn up on a sexual harassment charge? Or worse, having her sucker punch me on the bridge?"

"You think she would do that?"

"I don't know about the harassment, but I'm damn sure about the sucker punch. If I had a clue about what she would do, I would have acted on my feelings a long time ago. This isn't infatuation, Bones. I actually care about this woman. I told her that and she laughed at me."

McCoy shook his head. "With your previous actions, what the hell do you expect? How do you expect Uhura to believe you're serious about her when you do what you do? Look, the Jim Kirk I know would have handled this weeks ago. You've been taking it out on Brenda; I can tell by the way she moves when you've been with her. You think Uhura doesn't know you're screwing Brenda? _Everybody_ knows you're screwing Brenda. So how do you expect Uhura to take you seriously?"

"I haven't slept with Brenda in a while, Bones. I haven't touched her since I told Uhura how I felt. I'm not entirely stupid. Besides, _I_ wasn't the only one banging Brenda."

"You need to do something about this before it begins to affect your ability to run this ship. You're already irritable. If you don't want a mutiny, then handle this thing."

As always, Bones was right.

*

They were headed for Ferengi space. Chekov acknowledged that it would take them a week to arrive if they traveled at warp 4. Kirk was in no hurry to deal with the Ferengi, so he told Sulu to drop their speed to warp 1. There was no need to rush.

She was on duty, working quietly with Spock. Kirk rose and turned. Spock stood very close to her chair, in his usual stance. Normally, Spock required a minimum of eighteen inches of personal space; any closer and he would call you on it. But he was nearer to Uhura than the requisite eighteen inches. It might have been less than twelve. Too close, for the commander.

She looked up to relay something to him and he actually leaned down to hear her. Kirk cocked his head to the side. Spock _never_ did anything like that. His senses were impeccable and he could hear everything. Lt. Uhura was speaking in a normal voice; there was no need for him to be _that_ close to her.

Her foot swung in a gentle rhythm. It reminded him of last night. He watched her dance with a hard-on and a deep longing. Bones was spot on, as usual. If he didn't do something about his fixation for Uhura, it was going to affect his duty.

"Excuse me, Commander Spock."

Spock stood up and looked over at him. "Yes Captain?"

"I need to speak with Lt. Uhura for a moment. Lieutenant, if you would join me in my ready room? Commander, you have the conn."

"Yes, Captain." Spock turned to glance at Uhura before taking the captain's chair. Kirk cocked his head. Could it be possible that Spock was interested in her? His glance had been brief, but the mere fact that he had looked at her was telling.

Uhura rose, smoothed her skirt, and walked towards Kirk. He gestured that she lead and he followed. Once in his ready room, he instructed the computer to seal the door and cease recording. Uhura looked surprised at that instruction.

"Please sit."

"I'm fine, sir. I would rather stand."

He stood in front of her. "Have you had enough time?"

She looked away. A few weeks had passed since the candy episode. She had given his request a great deal of thought, and wondered if it would actually be possible to enter into a romance with Jim Kirk. Could he romance her? How would he do it without it affecting his duty? Her duty? She was intrigued by the possibilities—James Kirk was a very persistent man and he had not aggravated her since that day, but she could tell by the intensity in his blue eyes that he needed an answer today.

Uhura was not going to deny her attraction to him. She was going to be honest with herself. There was chemistry between them, a crackling band of energy drawing him to her and her to him. He had been right about their ongoing biting banter; it was appealing on a very deep level, and if she continued to be honest, their bickering _was_ akin to foreplay.

But then there was her equally potent pull to Commander Spock. It was different from the chemistry she had with Kirk. About the only things they had in common were intelligence, presence, and duty to Starfleet. Kirk was funny; he made her laugh, and Spock was deep; he made her think. She liked both. Both men were arousing, and she liked that too.

How would she reconcile or resolve this? And she had to wonder, what brought on all of this admittedly wonderful attention? She needed to speak to Gaila and Irish about this. Uhura had already sent a message to them about a possible conference call.

She met Kirk's eager eyes. "I have had time, Captain. I have given your request much consideration. But another variable has been introduced into the equation, which I must mull over."

"You sound like Spock."

"Do I? I assure you, sir, that I don't—I don't intend to." Did he know about Spock?

He stared at her mouth for a long moment. "How much more time do you need?"

"Twenty-four hours."

"And you'll have an answer for me then?"

"Yes." She owed him that. "I must say, Captain, I have to get used to our new exchanges. The tone is markedly different than before."

"It's because we've acknowledged our mutual attraction. That changes a lot of things, wouldn't you agree?"

She nodded. The room was suddenly warm. Uhura met Kirk's eyes and they were like that for several moments until the computer summoned him. The room went from warm to hot.

"Captain, you are needed on the bridge."

They broke eye contact. Kirk moved for the door, but allowed her to walk in front of him. As she walked past him, he murmured, "I'll be waiting."

* * *

Gaila adjusted herself in front of the webcam. "Irish, are you with us? I got fifteen minutes on this thing."

Irish nodded. "I'm here."

Uhura smiled. "I need to speak with both of you."

"What's going on?" Gaila asked.

"Please tell me you've gotten laid." Irish said.

Uhura shook her head. "Not yet." It was going to get to that point. She knew that as well as she knew her duty to the _Enterprise_.

"Yet? That means you've got your eye on somebody," Gaila said.

"Finally," Irish said. "So who's the privileged man?"

"No, you don't understand. I'm…How do I put this?"

"Just spit it out, Nyo. Gaila's got fifteen minutes."

"Right," Uhura said. "Okay. Two men are interested in me."

"Really?" Gaila brightened. "Who?"

"Please tell me that it's two of the hotties you work with." Irish smiled.

"Yes." Uhura nodded.

"Who?"

"I'd rather not say."

"Why not?" Gaila frowned. "Think we're going to tell?"

"No. I just want to see what happens before I give you names."

"It might help if we knew who it was, Nyo. Give us a perspective, at least. You know we won't say anything." Irish said.

She closed her eyes. "The captain and the commander."

Irish gasped. "Captain Fine and Commander Hotness? Shut the front door!"

Gaila breathed. "Oh my g…! Oh no, Nyota…oh no!"

"What's the matter, Gaila? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just that…shit, _that_ _is_ _serious_! They aren't your run of the mill crew members; these are your superiors."

"I thought you two said that you wish you could get busy with either of them. They were my superiors when we had that conversation."

"_We_ were talking about sex, _lachia_," Irish said. "Ten to one they don't want just sex with you. You're not like Gaila and me."

"Right," Gaila said. "So, details?"

"They are both very interested…to the point that they have been blunt about it." She decided to refer to her suitors by Irish's nicknames to ensure some secrecy, though it wouldn't help at all. There was only one captain and one commander of the _Enterprise_. "Captain Fine…well one day, he tells me that he wants to be my man. Seriously. I was not ready for that. It blew me out of the water. I'm used to arguing with him."

"What the hell?" Irish was surprised. "Captain Fine just put _it_ out there?"

"Yes. He laid it right on the table. I didn't know how to respond."

Irish laughed. "Um, your response _should_ have been, 'Hell yes, Captain! I'm yours! When and where, baby?'"

Gaila looked impressed. "I told you, Nyo. Get ready to have your mind blown! The man can _f_—"

"I haven't slept with him, Gaila. This is a man who lives to annoy the hell out of me."

"Not yet." Irish and Gaila were in unison. "You _will_." Both of them looked confident.

Then Irish said, "He annoys you because he wants you. He doesn't know any other way to get you to notice him. It's just like high school, Nyo."

Uhura shook her head. "I guess."

Then Gaila asked, "And what about the Commander?"

"So I'm having lunch with Brenda and Didi from sickbay and I look up. He's looking at me, right in the eyes and I just got…_hot_. You can feel it when he looks at you. He didn't try to hide it or play it off. I found myself actually checking him out. You were so right; he's very sexy."

"Didn't I say he was?" Irish said. "I told you and Gaila told you. When will you start believing us, _lachia_?"

"I'll believe everything you say from now on," Uhura said. "Anyway, on my way back to my quarters, he stops me to tell me—this is all _your_ fault, Gaila—that he has been watching me dance."

"WHAT?" Gaila nearly fell out of her chair.

Irish looked stunned. "Seriously? Details, please?"

"Since that night in the bar, I've gone back to dancing. It feels good, you know. Stress reliever and all that. I do it in the middle of the night when no one's on the observation deck, thinking I was alone. I never was. Spock has been watching me the whole time."

"Shit," Irish moaned. "All that sexiness _and_ he likes to watch? Mmn, the freaky side manages to come out, no matter what."

"I told you that dancing would be good for you!" Gaila smiled in triumph. "He probably lost his Vulcan mind watching you dance. What were you wearing?"

"Um, shorts and a tank top."

"Oh yeah," Gaila said. "Hell yes he's interested. You're hot! He probably short-circuited, forgot he was half-Vulcan and got horny. And Vulcans _do_ get horny too, _meklat_!"

"Well, he asked me if it was okay that he watches me. I was shocked because I thought he was going to reprimand me for wearing such skimpy clothes and behavior unbecoming to a Starfleet officer."

"That's crap, Nyota," Gaila said. "He wasn't thinking about _that_; only that you turned him on! So, have you danced for him yet?"

"I think I have. I don't know. I never see him. He stands in the dark."

Irish laughed. "He's probably standing over there watching you and choking the chicken. You should give his fine ass a show and see what he does. Bet he won't _stay_ in the dark!" She beamed. "Oh, this is priceless! Commander Hotness wants your cookies. I bet he's thought about it; you've got him _all_ hot and bothered. Otherwise, he wouldn't have said anything to you."

"Good point." Uhura said. She never considered what it took to get Spock to acknowledge his attraction to her. That was a _human_ phenomenon.

"Does Captain Fine watch you too?" Gaila asked.

Uhura paused. Did he? He never said anything about it. Would he? She hadn't known Spock was watching until he told her. Could the same be said for the captain? He would have told her that day in his office. Wouldn't he? He'd certainly had many opportunities to inform her.

"I don't know," Uhura said. "I have no idea."

Gaila nodded. "I bet he does."

Irish agreed. "Of _course_ he does. Captain Fine wants your cookies too. And I know he's thought about it."

Uhura shook her head. "I don't think so. He would have told me."

Gaila smiled. "If Commander Hotness is watching you, best believe that Captain Fine is too. Men are simple, visual creatures. Watching you dance has incited all of this lust and emotion."

Uhura was surprised. Now _that_ she hadn't thought about. This whole thing was bizarre.

"_Meklat_, you owe Irish and me a thank you, you know. These hot men want you. They want you! You are about to get hit with the shit. Shit being a very good thing," she finished. "You won't be able to resist them. Wish it was me."

"I heard that, _lachia_," Irish said.

Uhura shrugged. "So what do I do?"

Irish laughed. "Both of them. Is this a question?"

"Irish, you are a complete freak! I didn't call you up for you to tell me that!" Uhura laughed. "This isn't about sex."

Irish shook her head. "Part of it is. As your bestie, it is my duty to advise you to unleash _your_ inner freak. You've got two fine ass men wanting you, and you want to know _what_ to do? You DO them! Fuck them! Separately. Together. Whatever. Whenever. Jump on the stallions and ride out! Do it for Gaila and me, if not for yourself. We'd do it for you."

Gaila laughed. "Don't listen to Irish. She'll have you pregnant. Seriously though, Nyo, are you feeling anything for them? Is _that_ why we're talking?"

"Yes. I've got the hots for both of them and I don't know what to do. Captain Fine wants an answer in twelve hours. Commander Hotness…well, he's a tactile telepath, you know. He touched my chin and it nearly blew my mind. He let me know that he was interested, believe you me. What should I do, Gaila? This isn't the Academy and two silly boys, you know. I don't know if they know about each other. My attraction to both men is major or else I wouldn't have called you. I don't want it to turn into something ugly or where we can't work together. The last time they fought…well, you know."

"I must admit, Nyo," Irish said. "This isn't your ordinary crush. But it's so fun that you have this going on! Wait and see if they actually try to court you. I can't wait to hear how they're going to do it."

Gaila shrugged. "Receive. Let them do whatever they're going to do. They're going to do it anyway. Don't promise anything. If the objective is you, then you need to let them compete. Men like that. For them, it's a dick contest. I know that sounds prehistoric, but it is that for them. They want you, but they're going to have to fight each other for you. Call it a battle of wills. You should loosen up a little. Kiss them, touch them, see if the physical is just as potent as the mental, but DO NOT give up your cookies. Go for broke. Tease them. Make them fight for you. You're worth it. Make them go balls-out over you. Make them crazy, Nyota. Whoever wins, it doesn't matter. You will win regardless. I can't think of a better scenario. Fine and Hotness? Yum! Let the games begin!"

Uhura nodded. "Makes sense. Though, I shouldn't be a tease. That's not right. This could get nasty."

"Whatever," Gaila said. "You need to know the extent of your power. Men have been screwing with us for years."

"Hell yes you should!" Irish said. "Otherwise, how are you going to know who lights you up? What good is it if he doesn't turn you on?"

"That is _not_ a problem on either end," Uhura said, remembering the moment when Kirk touched her earlobe and the time when Spock caressed her cheek. "Not a problem at all. My head almost blew off the other day."

Irish said, "That's what I'm talking about. If they can't get you hot, then there's no point. Being fine only gets a man so far; after that, he's got to back it up. I know what I'm talking about, so trust me on that! Tease them, baby! And don't worry about what that might do because men have been playing games for centuries. In other words, use what you got to get what you want. Do you know what that is, by the way?"

Uhura sighed. "I deserve to have a real relationship, a meaningful connection to someone else. I want to be loved. I deserve that. And I want to give my heart in return. I want passion, respect, and all the wonderful things that loving a good man brings forth. That's what I want."

"Then _that's_ what they want you for, _lachia_. I don't think Captain Fine or Commander Hotness would have approached you for anything less than that." Irish said. "Me? Yes. You? No."

"I can promise you, you'll get the passion from Fine. He's got plenty of that going on behind those eyes. Hotness too, if my understanding of Vulcan culture is correct. I don't think respect or love is an issue, or this would have never manifested itself. You're not any common woman, Nyota. They're in love with you. Fine has never been known to put himself out there like that. Hotness is Vulcan. For him to even go there says a lot." Gaila nodded wisely. "Ooh, have fun with this, _meklat_. Enjoy it."

Irish nodded. "And if all else fails, just give both of them your cookies."

"Totally agree," Gaila said. "But seriously, you need to know if they know about each other. What you need is to be honest. What you can't be is deceptive."

"All right," Uhura said. Her friends gave her a lot to think about.

Gaila nodded. "Look, honey…I've got to go. But we will check back with you soon. We're definitely going to need details. I want to know if Commander Hotness tastes as good as he looks. I already know Captain Fine does. Can't wait for _you_ to find out! Bye!"

"Bye, Nyo! I hoped we helped," Irish said.

"More than you realize," she said.

_to be continued... _


	7. Courtship and Conflict

VII. Courtship and Conflict

Uhura stood in front of the mirror, taking time to preen over her figure. Irish and Gaila were crazy, but their advice was useful. Most of it, anyway. Sex would become significant, but it wasn't at the moment. She was willing to see if either man would actually try to court her. A few days after her conversation with her girlfriends, she told Kirk that she was interested in exploring a possible relationship with him, but she wanted to be convinced that it wasn't just sex he wanted. She also informed him that there was a possibility of another man and she wanted to be fair and mention it. To his credit, he did not ask her who the possibility was. He just told her he would do whatever it took.

Spock asked her to join him for the evening meal in the officers' dining room. She accepted. She was going to tell him that there was the possibility of another man in her life. She was going to be fair, even if it killed her.

Uhura slipped on her uniform. She had some time before she needed to report to her shift in the communications lab and she wanted to take a walk to think about everything. It was a lot to take in.

She was strolling around the saucer portion of the ship, fairly oblivious to her surroundings. Uhura paused before one of the enormous picture windows to gaze at the stars. Being amongst them in such a fabulous vessel still took her breath away at times.

"Still gives me chills, too," she heard behind her. She turned. It was the captain.

"Hello, sir," she said.

He scanned the area. "We're alone. Call me Jim."

"Jim," she said.

"I am still amazed sometimes that I am the captain of this starship." He reached out and caressed the bulkhead.

"Honestly, me too. You weren't even supposed to be on board, and ten seconds later Pike makes you first officer?"

Kirk shrugged. "I was surprised too. But, if memory serves me correctly, you got promoted maybe five seconds before I did. It was the right decision."

"Are you always so conceited?"

"Not always," he said.

She stared into his eyes. "Jim, this feels weird."

"It does, at that," he said. "But like I said, it's because we've acknowledged our attraction. I can handle it."

She nodded. "I was just taking a walk before I reported to the comm lab."

"Mind if I walk with you?"

"No."

So Uhura found herself with pleasant company for the duration of her walk. Part of her could not believe that it was James T. Kirk she was walking with, or that she was enjoying being with him. He made her laugh. He was quite amusing, telling her stories about his wild youth and asking her questions about her tame one.

"So why did you steal the Corvette?"

"I don't know; I was bored. It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Why did you drive it over a cliff?"

"It was fun. Besides, I was getting chased by a cop and lost control of the car because I was going too fast."

"What did your stepfather say?"

"He didn't _say_ anything. He beat the crap out of me."

"A vintage Corvette? I probably would have too."

"Have you ever done anything crazy, Nyota?"

She sighed. "Like stealing a car? Of course not. The craziest thing I've ever done was apply to Starfleet."

"That's not crazy," he said.

"If you knew my mother, you'd understand why. She wanted a different life for me. But my father encouraged it."

"Are you a daddy's girl?"

"Yes."

"What kind of life did she want for you?"

"Anything that kept me on Earth, and made her a mother-in-law as well as a grandmother."

"You don't want a family?"

"Not now," she said. "Later. When I find the right man."

Kirk was leading and Uhura had not been keeping up with the walking path. She was surprised to find that they were in the ship's commons, near the commissary. Kirk looked at her.

"Want some candy?"

"Uh, no," she said, blushing. "I still have some left from that last time."

He motioned his head towards the commissary. "Come on."

It took her a moment to get her head around the fact that she was having a good time with him. She could not recall having such a pleasant walk as the one she was having with her captain. They entered the commissary. There was a different clerk on duty and he greeted them when they came in. Kirk took her arm and led her to the candy counter. She was smiling at him. "I don't believe this."

"Believe it," he said. "What time's your shift?"

"In about a half-hour or so."

"We've got time. What do you want?"

"Captain," she said, keeping her voice low, "really, I don't need any more—ooh, are those Arcadian Choco-Pops?"

Kirk chuckled. "That's what the label says."

Uhura gazed at the candy bin. "They didn't have those out last time. They're so good; they're milk chocolate suckers with a hint of cayenne pepper. It really brings out the flavor of the chocolate."

"Interesting," Kirk said. "A hot pepper wrapped in chocolate? That suits you."

Uhura couldn't help but blush. Kirk grabbed a paper sack and scooped up a half-pound of the candy.

"Sir, that's all right; I still have—"

"Lieutenant," he said. "It's fine. Besides, I owe you."

She decided not to argue. Then he looked at a bin of colorful gems. "What are those?"

"Andorian Jujubees. They're amazing. You put them in your mouth and they explode."

"Is that right?" He tilted his head and gazed at her.

Uhura smiled at his expression. "Yes."

"Do you want some of those?"

"No sir. The chocolate pops are enough."

Kirk shrugged and got a sackful of the jujubees. "They look pretty tasty."

Uhura stood at the candy counter while he went to pay. The clerk smiled at Kirk, who whispered something to him.

"Aye, Captain," he said.

Kirk turned around and motioned his head. "You ready?"

Uhura followed him out. "What did you tell him?"

"That I lost a bet."

He offered her the sack. She took a Choco-Pop, unwrapped it and slipped it in her mouth. Kirk stared at her. Uhura closed her eyes and took a hard suck on the chocolate, nearly stripping it from the stick.

"How does it taste?"

"They begin to melt the moment you put them in your mouth. You should try one."

Kirk shook his head. "Maybe another time. I'll eat one of these." He popped a jujubee in his mouth. "Where'd you get your candy fetish?"

"My father. We're very close."

They walked in silence towards the communications lab, enjoying the candy. Uhura ended up sucking the chocolate off the stick so that her crewmates wouldn't see her with a lollipop in her mouth. When she was finished, she turned and gave him a big smile. "Thank you, Jim. That was a very sweet thing for you to do."

"Pun intended?"

"Always." She liked flirting with him.

"You're more than welcome," he said, feeling the mega-wattage from her smile all the way down to his toes. So _that_ was what it felt like. "Anything that makes you smile at me that way, I'm good for."

"You're making me blush."

"Good," he said. "You already know what you make me do."

She sighed and stopped at the door of the communications lab. "Well, here we are."

"Go on in," he said. "I want to tell you something and I'd like some measure of privacy."

"I don't think that will be the case, sir," she said. "Ensign Jauron and Sergeant Ellis are on duty now."

He cocked his head to the side. "Lieutenant, I'm the captain."

"Oh," she said. "Right."

They entered the lab and indeed, there were two officers at work. Kirk went over to them as Uhura signed in at her station. "Ensign, Sergeant, if you could step out of the lab for a moment? I need to speak privately with the lieutenant."

"Aye, Captain."

"Yes sir."

They exited the lab. Kirk ordered the computer to lock the door. Uhura looked at him. "Why did you do that?"

"Close your eyes," he said, coming over to her.

"Why?"

"Please?" he asked. "Trust me."

Uhura smirked and closed her eyes.

"Open your mouth."

"Captain—"

"Jim," he said. "Trust me."

She sighed and opened her mouth a little.

"A little more," he said. "I won't do anything inappropriate."

"You better not," she said, wishing for a moment that she was like Irish and all for inappropriate behavior in the comm lab. Or anywhere else, for that matter. She opened wider.

Uhura stood for a second and felt something on her tongue. It was sweet, watermelon-flavored, and juicy. She bit down on the morsel and felt the candy pop in her mouth. Sugar ran down her throat in long, warm runnels. She was aware of Kirk's finger on her lip. She was also getting horny.

"Watermelon jujubee," she whispered, enjoying the candy. "My favorite." Uhura was warm all over, absolutely loving the experience.

"Mine too," he said, trying not to run his finger over her lip. "Nyota, do you mind if I kiss you?"

"What?"

"I want to kiss you. I have been fantasizing about the feel of your lips on mine. May I kiss you?"

She closed her eyes and sighed. "I don't want to lead you on, Jim."

"You won't," he said. "I know the rules, but I want to…I need to know the taste of your mouth."

"There aren't any rules," she said, looking at his lower lip. "Maybe I need to make up some."

"If you don't," he murmured, "then you're going to have some serious issues. Please let me kiss you, Nyota."

"All ri—" she managed to say before he kissed her. Uhura lost her mind for an instant; lost herself in the moment. Kirk took his time, probing just enough to get to her tongue.

"Mmn," he murmured against her mouth. He cupped her face and she put her hands on his shoulders to brace herself and the kiss went deeper. She could not isolate which of her senses was making the nerves in her spine crackle: was it the warm, soft pressure of his lips, or was it the light sandalwood scent of whatever cologne he used, or was it the sweetness of his tongue, still redolent of the cherry jujubee he'd eaten, or was it the sound of his breathing, somehow matching her own? Her eyes were closed and she could see nothing, but her mind's eye saw everything…his hands, his head, his arms around her waist, bringing her close to him.

When he released her, she looked at him, her eyes wide with surprise, her breathing irregular. It took a minute for her to calm down. Her heart was racing. There was nothing in her memory banks that could compare with what she'd just experienced. Nothing. What the hell just happened? Her lips burned. She touched them with three fingers, inhaling deeply. Kirk stepped back, watching her. He'd give her a minute. Hell, he needed one his damn self.

He closed his eyes, savoring the taste of her mouth. "Maybe I shouldn't have done that."

"Maybe not," she said. "I'd better get to work, Captain."

"Right," he said.

"Thank you for the candy," she said.

He placed the sack of jujubees on her console. "Thank you for the kiss. I'll see you later."

She nodded. "All right."

Uhura found it damned hard to concentrate on her work afterward.

* * *

She met Spock for dinner in the officers' dining room. He was waiting for her. He inquired about what her meal preferences were and she was pleased to see that he already had her tray ready. There was a steaming bowl of soup, some crusty bread and a salad. He had the same.

"I see we're alone," she said as he pulled out her chair. She sat down and he sat across from her.

"I took the liberty of reserving the dining room for a short period of time so that we might be undisturbed."

Uhura beamed, as it was a rare occasion that the officers' dining room was vacant during mealtimes.

"I thought it appropriate that we should be able to converse freely over a meal."

"Well, we could have done that anyway, Commander."

"I would prefer a measure of privacy, Lieutenant."

She nodded. "I would as well. Please call me Nyota."

"Nyota," he said, as if tasting her name. "Ny-o-ta. You may call me Spock."

"So, what kind of soup is this?"

"It has Vulcan origins; the vegetable is very similar in taste and texture to Terran pumpkins, blended into a cream soup with some herbs and spices."

"Pumpkin soup?"

Spock raised his eyebrow. "I infer that is what you would call it."

"I have not had pumpkin soup in a long time. My grandmother used to make it when I was young. What's the bread?"

"It is made with sun-dried tomatoes. It supplies a nice contrast to the soup."

She nodded, tore off a corner of the bread and dipped it into the soup. Uhura popped the morsel in her mouth.

"This is delicious," she said.

"I am glad that you approve," he said.

They spent a few minutes eating. Uhura watched him. He was so fastidious that it was almost a shame. Almost. Spock actually made it look sexy.

"Spock," she said, dipping bread into her soup.

"Yes."

"I have to say, I never realized that you were so interested in me."

He met her eyes. "I have always been interested in you."

"Come again?"

"It was inappropriate, yes, because I was your instructor. That is why I never acted. I did not want to taint your academic record in any way, not when you made such significant progress."

"You were so hard on me! I never worked as hard as I did with your coursework! I was under so much pressure! You used to make me cry. I hated—I admit that there were times when I did not like you." Uhura swirled another piece of bread into her soup.

"A piece of coal must undergo extreme temperatures and pressures for many thousands of years before it can become a diamond. I am grateful that it only took you three."

The bread stopped somewhere between her soup bowl and her mouth.

"I was reluctant to assign you to the _Enterprise_ because I favored you. I did not know how it would turn out, working with you in this environment. I did not want your integrity or ability questioned because you used to be my student. I thought it best to keep myself away."

She smiled at him. "So how's that working out for you?"

"It has not. I could not disrespect your wish of serving aboard the Federation flagship. Your ability is unmatched. However, your promotion to the bridge has put us in daily contact and it has done nothing but increase my high regard of you."

Uhura could not hide or deny the heat in her cheeks. Spock had the damndest way of saying things.

"Sir, um, Spock…I mean, this is all so very…I can't even begin to describe how surprising this is for me. " I didn't realize that you liked me like that. I didn't know you felt that way about me all this time. I wish I knew what I did to catch your attention."

"It was your metamorphosis from a girl to a woman, Nyota. I do take some pleasure in knowing I made a small contribution to your development as a Starfleet officer. And then I saw you dance."

She nodded. The next time she saw Gaila and Irish, Uhura was going to treat her best friends to a shoe shopping excursion. They definitely deserved it.

"I can no longer hide my attraction to you. I can no longer ignore what I am experiencing because of my fondness for you."

"I have to tell you," she said, sipping her water, "you are not the only one to approach me in this way, Spock. Someone else has as well."

"I am not surprised," he replied. "You are a beautiful and desirable woman, and you have the potential to be a most worthy mate. It would be unfounded for you to escape the attention of any male officer on board this ship."

"Do you want to know who it is?"

"I would rather not," he said. "It does not matter anyway. It will not change my pursuit of you."

"You're not bothered by it?"

"No. It is merely an opportunity to prove my worthiness."

"You really know how to charm a girl, Spock."

"As you have charmed me, Nyota." He finished his meal and wiped his mouth. "I know that my attraction is not one-sided. I know that you find me appealing as well."

"It's the craziest thing," she said, reaching out her hand towards him. "I was your student for almost four years and I never realized how attractive you really are. It wasn't until a, hmmm, a post-hypnotic suggestion was planted that I began to see it. I need to get my head examined. I can't believe you've been there all this time."

She spread her fingers.

"There is nothing wrong with your head, Nyota. You were a student and you respected Academy regulations that frowned upon inappropriate behavior between students and instructors. I gave you no reason to violate them, nor would I have. But things are different now."

He reached for her hand and touched his fingertips to hers. Uhura was treated to another delicious hot flash.

"Yes," she said. "They are. But I want to be fair, Spock. As I said, another gentleman has expressed interest in pursuing a relationship with me, and he has done it the same time as you."

"I trust your judgment, Nyota. I know that you will be fair. I will, however, do what I must to tip the balance in my favor. How should I court you?"

She closed her eyes and stroked his fingers. "Oh, I don't know. What we're doing now is fine. Feel free to surprise me, Spock. I'm ripe for romance." So ripe, in fact, that she knew it wasn't going to take much for her to crumble under the attention of either man. Man, was she deprived.

"That is good to know. Would you like dessert?"

She blinked, pulling her hand away. "Dessert? Really? What?"

"I know that you have a preference for sweet things, especially chocolate. There is a recipe for Cardassian chocolate mousse in the replicator. I have taken the liberty of having some prepared for you."

She smiled. "I remember you calling on me that time while I was eating candy in class."

"As do I," he said. "You were so very young and so very alluring, even then."

"That's _your_ memory of that moment? You embarrassed me!"

"You broke the rule, Lieutenant. I could not ignore such a flagrant violation of classroom policy. No matter what I thought of you personally."

Uhura shook her head. She couldn't get over having missed out on nearly four years of goodness from Commander Spock. If she chose him, though, she would certainly make up for lost time. Spock rose to get her mousse and then sat back down next to her. "Have you ever had Cardassian chocolate mousse, Nyota?"

"No," she breathed. The mousse was in a tall glass flute, decorated with a fat strawberry. It looked decadent.

"My understanding is that it should be eaten a certain way. I will attempt to create the proper experience for you. Please close your eyes and open your mouth."

This was the second time today a sexy hot man asked her to close her eyes and open her mouth. The last time had been quite pleasurable, so she wasn't about to miss a second opportunity. She did as Spock asked.

He dipped the strawberry into the mousse and placed it into her mouth. She was treated to fluffy, yet rich, creamy chocolate and the juicy sweetness of the strawberry. Instinctively, Uhura closed her mouth to savor the taste, catching Spock's fingers between her lips.

The touch of his fingers on her skin was incomparable to the touch of his fingers on her tongue. She gasped.

"Do not open your mouth," he said, and took his time removing his fingers. Uhura sighed and swallowed the mousse. Spock gazed at her and raised his eyebrow.

"That was quite stimulating," he said.

"You're telling me," she said, crossing her legs.

"Did you find the mousse pleasing?"

"Uh huh." Words escaped her.

"Would you like some more?"

"Uh huh." She nodded her head.

"I take it that means yes."

"Uh huh."

"I will need a spoon for the rest of the mousse. However, it is contrastingly light and rich, so I do not recommend too much of it at once."

Uhura closed her eyes and opened her mouth, surrendering control. And she was rewarded.

Spock cleared her dishes. "May I walk you to your quarters?"

"Sure," she said.

They walked the corridor in companionable silence. When she got to her door, she turned to look up at him.

"I had a good time, Commander Spock."

"As did I, Lieutenant Uhura. I would like to call on you again for another opportunity to engage you outside of work."

"Okay," she said. Spock had a way of negating her communication skills. She hadn't been able to form a coherent thought since he put that strawberry in her mouth.

"You may lead in this matter, Lieutenant. I wish to court you in the way that you want."

She smiled. "I trust your judgment, Spock. I want you to do what you're comfortable with, to do what the spirit moves you to do."

"Spirit? Please clarify."

"Be spontaneous. If you think I might like it, then do it."

He raised an eyebrow. "Fascinating."

Uhura wondered if he would kiss her. He merely gazed at her for a long moment, then took her hand and stroked her fingers. Again, she felt the spark of a thousand tiny lightning bolts all over and his intense desire to kiss her. She was heated from her center.

"You can, you know," she whispered.

"I would like to," he murmured.

"Would you like to come in?"

"I must ask if you have instituted any boundaries. You are being courted by two men, and it may become necessary to establish such to keep things fair between us."

"I'm going to need to do that," she said. "But I want you to kiss me."

"I think that would be unwise, Nyota," he said.

"I trust you," she replied. She opened her door, took his hand and led him inside. He stood in the foyer, looking down at her. She wondered if he was hesitant to make such a bold move.

"Kiss me, Spock. It's all right."

He stepped closer to her and ran the back of his fingers along the underside of her chin and over her throat. Spock placed a hand on either side of her neck, leaned close and pressed his lips against hers. Uhura nearly swooned. He had the softest lips she ever kissed, and he actually rubbed her nose with his. She made a small squeak. He paused and looked at her. "Are you all—"

She stood on her toes and kissed him again, cupping his face. Then she pulled away—reluctantly. Spock stared at her, unabashedly revealing the heat in his eyes. "Thank you for this evening, Nyota. I must leave now. I will call on you again soon."

"Please do," she said, trying to get her breath.

He nodded to her, turned and left. Uhura went to her bedroom and fell on the bed with a giant school-girl grin plastered all over her face.

* * *

Several days later, Spock was on the obs deck, watching Uhura dance. It was mesmerizing to see her move. She was so graceful and so gorgeous that watching her quickly rose to the short list of Spock's favorite things.

The first time she danced knowing that he was there, she was hesitant at first. She kept stopping and starting over. She was uncomfortable. He remained hidden in his corner, knowing that she would adjust. She moved to the floor to do leg work and it calmed her down enough that when she finally got to her feet, she was no longer anxious. After that, she was fine. He asked her to play her music aloud so that he could time her movements to the beat. She complied. He was unfamiliar with the songs she danced to, but it didn't matter because she flowed with the music as smooth as a duck landing in water.

Spock watched her hands caress her body and he was again compelled to wonder how she would feel. He already knew the taste of her lips, but considered that bit of qualitative data inconclusive as he had not sampled her mouth. But he wanted to touch her, to glide his hands over her supple body, to slide his fingers through her hair. Of course, there was the dancing. How it evoked all of his repressed feelings for her. It was as if the dam broke that Friday night at the bar and his passion for her came surging forth like a raging rapid.

She was back on the floor, her legs in the air, doing lifts. She had lovely long caramel-colored legs, beautifully shaped feet, and she wore a crimson color on her toenails. The color matched what she wore on her fingernails. Sensual, seductive, alluring…Spock thought there weren't nearly enough positive adjectives to describe Uhura.

She was in better shape than it had been when the _Enterprise_ first left space dock. She had always been slender, but now her arms and legs were toned. Mr. Sulu actually made a comment about it to Ensign Chekov one morning when she left the bridge for a moment. His exact words had been, "Is she lifting weights?" Mr. Chekov replied, "I do not know."

Spock did not bother to correct or explain the real reason for Lt. Uhura's physical change. But then Mr. Sulu said, "If I thought I had a chance, I'd ask her out. She's _so_ freaking hot."

Mr. Chekov and Dr. McCoy agreed. Captain Kirk, one who never failed to acknowledge a beautiful woman, said nothing. This was surprising in and of itself because he never missed an opportunity to comment on or to Lt. Uhura. However, a look passed over his face so fast that Spock could not read his expression.

Sulu looked directly at Spock and asked him, "Don't you think so, Commander?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Sulu; I was ensconced in my work. To what do you refer?"

Sulu smiled. "It figures. I asked you if you thought Lt. Uhura was hot, sir."

"I was not aware that her temperature had increased. Perhaps you'd better check on her, Doctor."

Dr. McCoy merely looked at Spock and rolled his eyes. "_He_ wouldn't know a hot woman if one dropped into his lap."

Again, that dark look crossed Kirk's face. "Let's get back on task, people." Mr. Sulu turned around and Dr. McCoy looked at the captain and got up to leave the bridge.

Spock mused as he watched her. Vulcan or not, he knew beauty when he saw it. He took the opportunity to appreciate her figure and felt that warm sensation again. Emotions were illogical, as were these sensations. But they would not be denied. He could control his emotions, but the ones he had for her got past the barrier. It would not take away from the essence of him if he allowed himself an extravagance. Nyota Uhura was it. He intended to have her.

He noticed a shape move silently from the far side and stand behind a partition. It was a man. Spock raised a brow. From his silhouette, he deduced that it was none other than the captain of the _Enterprise_. Watching her.

She did not notice that she had another observer. Indeed, she was lost in whatever paradise her dancing took her to. He was pulled back to looking at her, but was very aware that he was not alone in his appreciation of her elegance and magnificence.

How did _he_ know she would be here? And how long had he been an observer? From the way he crept up to the partition unnoticed, it was clear to Spock that Kirk had been here before. But for how long, he could not venture to guess. Had Kirk been there all along? Had Spock, caught up in the splendor of Uhura, failed to notice that his commanding officer was caught up as well? Was Captain Kirk the other man?

That would explain the odd moments on the bridge. Kirk was always baiting her, trying to get a response out of her. For the most part, she would not, but there were a few times when he managed to visibly upset her. One day, he riled her enough to cause her to hiss at him, "Leave me alone, _Skippy_!" Spock had been the only one to hear her say such an inappropriate and illogical thing. He made a note to ask her what the reference was for 'Skippy.'

And then there was the fact that the captain openly stared at her sometimes. Spock could not glean anything from his expression, other than it appeared like he was thinking. Of her? Could it be possible that Captain Kirk was attracted to Lieutenant Uhura? If that was the case, Spock knew that there would be problems. Even though wanting her was a violation of multiple Starfleet regulations and wholly inappropriate, it was the fact that they were both determined men and prone to getting their way that was problematic. Kirk was just more obvious about his.

She finished dancing and did some stretching. Then she pulled on her sweatpants and sweatshirt, then her slippers. She took a long drink of water, knotted up her hair and turned the lights off. Kirk did not move. Neither did he.

When he was confident that she was gone, he emerged from the darkness, moving toward his captain. Hearing his footsteps, Kirk turned. The look on his face when he saw Spock was one of surprise.

"Captain," he acknowledged.

"Mr. Spock! What the hell are you doing here?"

"From what it appears, I am here for the same reason that brought you here."

He looked startled. "How long have you been watching her?"

"How long have you been watching her?"

"Don't piss me off by answering my questions with questions, Spock."

"It is not my intent to do so, Captain. I am merely suggesting that we are here for the same reason, and I would venture to say that it is likely we have been doing it for the same amount of time."

He sighed. "Since we left space dock. Actually, two days before. I saw her at a local night spot."

Spock's eyebrow went up. "Fascinating. I did as well. I found her movement to be quite intriguing."

"_You_ were there? I thought you hated clubs."

"I was there as a favor to Admiral Pike. I was there to retrieve cadets Johnson and Lewis. May I inquire as to why you were there?"

"To get a beer."

They stared at each other.

"So _you're_ the other man," Kirk said.

"I would say the same of you, Captain. Nyota mentioned there was another."

Kirk stared at his first officer, at a loss for words. Then he glared at him. "You stay away from her, Spock."

"Is that a threat, Captain?"

Kirk met him head on. "No. It's a promise. Leave her alone."

"I have no intention of doing so. She knows I am here."

"What?"

"Lt. Uhura knows that I am here. She has given me permission to observe her."

Kirk shook his head. "She's not a specimen, Spock."

"I am fully aware of what she is and is not."

"Stay away from her."

"Please give me a reason why I should, Captain."

"You're not stupid, Spock. You know _why_."

"Ah. Knowing that you have some competition, you would prefer to bully me rather than prove yourself worthy of her heart?"

"I'm just trying to make it easy for you, Spock. I'd hate to see you heartbroken because she chose me."

Spock subtly raised his eyebrow. "If it pleases you to speculate on what Lt. Uhura will do, then by all means indulge yourself. I will, however, do what I must to ensure that it is me she will choose."

"Well then." Kirk stared at Spock. "For once, we have something in common."

"We share the same objective. I trust you will not allow this issue to affect our working relationship?"

"I can take it if you can. You're a great first officer, Commander. I'd like to keep you around," Kirk said, folding his arms. "But how do you _feel_ about her, Spock? Knowing how hard it is for you to feel anything."

"If you are implying that you think my attraction to Lt. Uhura is based merely on the physical, you could not be more wrong. I would say that of you, as I am well aware of your cavalier attitude towards women and mating. She is deserving of far more than your maniacal libido."

"If sex was all I wanted from her, I wouldn't be here. I can get laid anytime I want."

Spock tented his fingers. "So am I to understand that we are engaging in competition?"

Kirk folded his arms. "Since we are both attracted to her, I guess we are."

"Are there any boundaries?"

"Only the ones she sets. And she hasn't set any."

"Fair enough."

"She knows how I feel, Spock. You see, _I_ can acknowledge my feelings. What are _you_ going to do? She doesn't read minds."

"Lt. Uhura is fully aware of my attraction to her and she reciprocates it."

Kirk glared at him. "Same here. Trust me on that."

Spock raised an eyebrow. "It is logical for human females to be attracted to more than one male."

"Except on board this ship, I'm the _alpha_ male. And logic has nothing at all to do with this, Spock. You're going to lose if you think it does."

Spock raised an eyebrow. Kirk eyed him and walked off. Spock walked off in the other direction.

It was on.

**_  
to be continued... _**


	8. Sexy Little Things

**A/N: Start keeping score!--PinkElegance**

* * *

VIII. Sexy Little Things

Uhura sat in her quarters, in her chair, sniffing roses. For the past couple of weeks, a half-dozen roses were delivered regularly to her quarters by an eager, enthusiastic Starfleet peon. There was never a note. Uhura first thought that they might have been from the captain, but then she had to think about it. The roses could have easily been from the commander. Yes, Kirk might have believed that she, like a lot of women, was flattered by receiving flowers, and therefore sent them to her. However, it was equally likely that Spock, true scientist he was, actually researched the concept of human courtship and decided roses were a definite course of action.

Even though she did love roses (and each time, they were a different color), mere flowers weren't even remotely close to capturing her interest or her heart. Well, _maybe_ her interest. She definitely was. She couldn't even look at her candy without thinking of Kirk or her front door without thinking of Spock. Needless to say, she'd been thinking about them all the time, even during shifts on the bridge. She found herself sometimes gazing at Spock's lips or Kirk's lips during lulls on bridge duty, remembering how they felt against hers. The very idea of kissing either man made her prickly and perky. They kissed in entirely different ways and Uhura had to admit that she liked both techniques.

For the most part, the old tension between the captain and herself all but disappeared and a new one resurfaced. Uhura acknowledged that she missed the bickering. She didn't realize it until they weren't doing it anymore. In its own way, their spats were a sexy little thing, a turn-on. She thought she might mention it to Kirk that they should resume their verbal foreplay. If such a thing were possible, knowing the truth behind their mutual attraction. It was probably a bad idea.

Spock had never been anything but professional; however, she realized that he allowed her certain freedoms that were not available to others. Favoritism, maybe, but it did not appear that the other crew members noticed.

Then she realized that Irish was right; the entire situation had a funny side. It _was_ almost like high school; the geek and the jock competing for the cheerleader. It made her blush because it was a heady feeling, knowing that she was the center of attention between them.

Uhura wondered if each man knew about the other. If not, then that could have consequences she could deal with. Ignorance could be bliss. If so, she didn't think she would be able to handle or control it. Kirk and Spock got along fine now, but their working history was brief enough for Uhura to remember the fight on the bridge and how Spock had almost killed Kirk. Would she be a catalyst for another violent confrontation? Kirk put his heart right on the table for her to do whatever she wanted to with it. Spock, of course, was not so obvious, but the few times he had allowed himself to touch her were quite revealing. It was like electricity flowing through her, illuminating his emotions and intentions towards her. She was heated from her core after he touched her. He didn't do it often, but when he _did_…

She wondered how it would feel to have his hands all over her. She wondered what sexy little things lay beneath his rational and staid surface. How would it feel to lie next to him and have those fingers gliding over her skin? It was a completely inappropriate thought. Right or wrong, Uhura decided that she wanted to find out. She could hear Irish in her mind: _'Why the hell not?'_

Her attraction to Kirk was just as powerful. In the hallways, sometimes they would pass one another and he would spare her a quick glance, but it was full of so much desire that she would miss a breath. It would be all she could do to cool down before she made it to her destination. Her captain had a way of saying a lot without speaking. In the turbolift, he would stand next to her so that he could place his hand on the small of her back and stroke it, out of sight of the others. She liked it when he did that. He would casually lean over her to sniff her fragrance. He would caress her finger or tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear and massage the lobe. She really liked it when he did _that_. One time, he actually took her hand and thumbed her palm, which was erotic as hell. He secretly did this while carrying on a conversation with Scotty. When Uhura left the turbolift after them, she felt like her head was going to pop off, she was so horny. Kirk did lots of sexy little things; things that spoke volumes. Never in a million years would she have guessed that her captain was capable of such sensual behavior. She had the feeling, however, that she was the only recipient.

So it was with the advice of her girlfriends that she decided to do what she would do, as long as she was fair. Uhura decided that it was safe to assume that Kirk and Spock were aware of each other; that would make it easier for her to deal with either of them. She wanted to be fair. But she also knew she had to be careful in her dealings with them. She had to establish some ground rules.

'_Try not to kiss or to touch.'_

Yeah, right. That would probably last all of two minutes. She liked kissing them and she liked it when they touched her. Uhura sighed because she wanted more physical contact. She required more. It had been a very long time since she'd had any, so what was wrong with wanting more? Especially from two hot men.

'_Aren't you supposed to be courted right now? How did you skip over being wooed and go straight to sex?'_

That was sad, but it was true. Uhura was hot, she was horny, and truth be told, she was ready. It had been a very long time since she felt that way about any man, much less two, and being around them for any period of time could have her marinating in minutes. She should have never stopped having casual sex; maybe it wouldn't be so easy for her to get so hot so fast. She hoped that she could retain her senses and her cool.

'_Who are you kidding? Really?'_

That wasn't likely to happen. All she could hope was that either man was stronger than she was.

* * *

Fortunately, the _Enterprise_ ran into a crisis. Everyone was distracted in efforts to handle the situation. Captain Kirk was furious over the events themselves, a crew member was killed for failure to follow instructions, and the citizens of the planet they visited caused a lot of problems. Things were crazy on board the ship. So it was another three weeks before anything else happened. And it was brought on merely because she followed Gaila and Irish's advice.

After working two straight shifts on the bridge and another two in the communications lab, she had the following day off. She went to the observation deck and turned on the lights to thirty percent. Uhura was exhausted, but she wouldn't be able to fall asleep if she didn't relax. She had not been to the obs deck to dance in over four days, a result of the crisis fallout. The _Enterprise_ completed the mission and left the system, headed for the Neutral Zone. Kirk gave his officers some needed time off. Uhura intended to spend every hour she had in some form of relaxation before returning to duty.

She removed her sweats and finger combed her hair. The music for her dance was already programmed into a private playlist under her authorization code.

"Computer, play playlist three. Authorization code Uhura: Delta-Kappa-Theta 036."

Her music began. She shook her limbs and began to stretch. She moaned softly; her muscles were stiff from sitting at her console for so long. She wished there were bathtubs on board the Enterprise. A hot soak would be wonderful after her exercise. She wondered if Kirk had a bathtub, captain privileges and all that. Something to ponder.

After a good fifteen minutes, she scanned the rear of the observation deck. Was Spock standing there? She had to wonder if Kirk was standing somewhere in the darkness as well. He had never mentioned that he watched her dance, and she forgot to ask him about it. But she knew that Spock was standing somewhere over there. Where would he stand? Logically?

Thinking that way, she turned in the direction where she thought he would be. _'Okay, Irish…let's see if this works…'_

* * *

Spock stood in his corner, his eyes on her. She had not danced in ninety-six hours, forty-five minutes and thirty-nine point two seconds. It was quite frustrating, as this sequence was a form of his meditation ritual.

She turned in his direction and began to move. It took Spock six point five seconds to realize that her dance tonight was for him. Fascinating…

In the middle of a slow twirl, she noticed that she could make out the side of his head and shoulder. The starlight provided enough illumination for that. He was out of the corner. Irish had been right. She kept moving and then turned towards him, reaching out one hand. She beckoned to him.

Spock watched her fingers. She was inviting him over. He had already ventured out of his corner once he understood that she was performing for him. He was unsure of how to proceed, but couldn't stop himself from walking towards her. She was an intoxicating siren. He wondered if she had actually set some boundaries to her dual courtship.

Uhura finished her routine and smiled in his direction. She then ordered the computer to cease the playlist and went about stretching. Absently, she reached up to rub her neck. Even after her workout, she still had some tension. She was going to be sore. She massaged the back of her neck, sighing.

Then she felt fingers on her nape.

"May I?" he inquired.

"Please," she said, utterly surprised. She didn't think he would come out of the darkness.

Spock brushed her hair over her shoulder and began rubbing her neck. She sighed deeply. "Mmmn, that feels so good. I'm still tense."

"That happens when you spend forty-eight hours and thirty minutes on the bridge and thirty-six hours and forty-five minutes in the communications lab, Lieutenant. You have not had proper rest."

"It's my duty, sir. And neither have you."

"Vulcan physiology is more resilient than human physiology. And I hardly feel that it is logical for you to be so formal in this setting, Lt. Uhura."

"Then I guess the same goes for you, Commander."

He did not respond, but gently increased the pressure on her neck. She went silent; her breathing even and calm. Spock inhaled her scent; it was tinged with honeysuckle and her natural fragrances from perspiring. He thought it was exhilarating.

He turned towards the partition and recognized the silhouette of the captain. Kirk did not move from where he stood, but it was obvious that he was staring at the pair of them. Spock stared back at his commanding officer, his face impassive as he stroked Uhura's neck.

"Sir," she breathed. "I should go back to my quarters now."

"You are still quite tense, Lieutenant. I do not wish for you to suffer such discomfort. I am willing to rid you of your tension."

Uhura moaned. Did he know what he just said? Did he not understand that she suffered from more than one kind of tension? But his hands felt so good.

"If you are uncomfortable with my suggestion, I would remind you that I am well-versed in human skeletal and muscular systems."

She sighed. "I hope so," she murmured.

"I'm sorry. I did not hear what you said. Please repeat yourself."

"Nothing," she said. "I'm just…tired." Was this Spock's way of hitting on her? Then she remembered Gaila's words.

'_Receive.'_

She knew that Spock wouldn't do anything other than what he said. He wouldn't do anything inappropriate. Kirk was another matter altogether. Uhura knew it would have been dangerous for him to be in Spock's position. Kirk would have suggested the same thing, but he would not have been referring to her muscular tension. Dangerous indeed because she probably would have agreed to it.

"Is this your idea of a spontaneous date?" she teased.

"You may interpret it as you wish. I merely want to spend time with you, Nyota."

"That works for me." She put her sweats back on and Spock followed her to her quarters after turning to look back at the captain.

Uhura asked him to wait while she took a quick shower. He stood by her bedroom door in his usual stance, taking in her quarters, memorizing the details. There were rose petals everywhere. When she came back out, she stared up at him. He gazed down at her. "I suggest that you recline on your stomach, which you should interpret as to lie face down on your bed."

"I understand you perfectly, sir."

"I am aware."

"Are you?" she asked. "Are you going to be fresh with me?" she teased. She knew he wouldn't but she wished he would.

He raised an eyebrow. "Please clarify the nature of your use of the word 'fresh.' I am not sure I understand what you mean."

She smiled at him. "Never mind. I'll go lay down on my bed."

He waited for her to call him. When she did, he found her face down on the bed, her back and shoulders bare. He inhaled sharply.

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"I'm ready."

"I am aware of that." He stood in the doorway for a moment, hesitant to move closer. He was warm all over.

"I don't bite," she said.

"I am aware," he said. He was aware of everything at this point. Spock rubbed his hands together and went over to sit by her.

"Please relax, Nyota. I will begin."

He gathered her hair and moved it to one side. "If I apply too much pressure, please tell me so."

"I will."

Uhura groaned as he moved his fingers across her shoulder blades. Whenever he put his hands on her, it was electric. She sighed. So this was how it felt to have Spock's hands all over her…_fantastic_! A real sexy thing.

Spock closed his eyes. He was touching her the way he wanted and he had his answer: she felt like warm silk. His hands moved down to the middle of her back. Her back was grace personified. He knew that his telepathic abilities were conveying all of the information she needed to know. That he found her immensely satisfying, that he thought she was spectacular and supremely intelligent. That she was his intellectual equal, that a bond between them was logical and plausible. That he wanted her in ways he would never be able to say aloud. That he wanted to please her, that he could please her if she would let him. Would she let him? That his heart was hers if she so desired and that he hoped she would.

He wanted to kiss her spine. Her muscles rippled under his fingers. He could not suppress the sigh that escaped him.

"_Oh my_…." she murmured into her pillow. "_Oh god…" _She was _receiving_, all right. Uhura buried her face in the pillow. Spock was letting her know, if she didn't already, that his desire for her was as magnetic and as intoxicating as Kirk's. She had been aware of it before, but _this_ was broadcasting it from the mainmast.

"Sir…"

"Please call me Spock, Nyota. At this point, I do believe it is logical for you to do so."

"Spock…this feels so good. I should thank you before I fall asleep."

"You are most welcome."

He moved his hands back up. He wanted to run his fingers through her hair. When he gently grasped her scalp and began to massage, she could not stifle her moan.

"I take it that you find this pleasant?"

"You have no idea…you could make a lot of money with a side hustle as the ship's masseur, sir."

"Side hustle? Please clarify."

"A part-time job." She smiled into the pillow. He could be cute at times.

Spock closed his eyes again as he massaged her scalp. Uhura's hair was black satin. It slid through his fingers and smelled of jasmine. He inhaled her. Then he removed his fingers from her hair. That was quite enough. He was very aroused.

"Mmn, why did you stop?"

"I believe that I am done. I no longer feel any tension."

Uhura moaned again. He didn't realize he had made her tension worse. Or did he? She was about to pop. But she would never tell him that. Spock sat on the edge of the bed, gazing down at her body. He did not want to leave. One finger rested on her lower back, on her spine.

"Nyota."

"Yes," she murmured.

"I believe I have been obvious in letting you know of my intentions."

"I read you loud and clear, Spock."

"Then you know…know what it is that I cannot find the words to express."

"Yes."

"Then may I make a request?"

"Anything." Did she just issue a blank check? Uhura sighed. She was horny enough that she didn't care if she had. She wished he would cash it.

"May I kiss you here?" He pressed her vertebra.

She gasped. What a request! "Yes."

Uhura did not move as she felt the bed weight shift. She wanted to see what he was doing, but decided it would be better to be surprised. In ten seconds, she was pleasantly so.

He was directly over her, his weight on his hands and knees, which were on either side of her knees. He moved his head to her lumbar vertebra and gently pressed his lips against it. She bit her lip. It was sexy as hell.

'_Oh, that feels so damned good…he's going to make me come…'_

Then he made his way up, slowly and tenderly kissing each vertebra until he was at the back of her neck. And just as she predicted, she was wet and wobbly by the time he was done. He rested his forehead against her the back of her neck and breathed softly. He wanted to lie with her and spend the night with her. Her female scent flooded his nose and he knew he had to leave. He was completely aroused and utterly undone. Was _this_ how his father had felt about his mother? No wonder they had married. No Vulcan male could resist such a force.

"I am obliged to confess that I am hopelessly besotted with you, Nyota," he whispered into her ear. "I must leave you now."

Screw the rules. Uhura was ready to throw Gaila's warning out of the window, turn over and wrap herself around him. She wanted to beg him to stay, to spend the night with her, but if it ended up being a power struggle between him and Kirk, then she wasn't being reasonable. She felt Spock's weight leave the bed, heard his footfalls across the floor, heard her bedroom door open and close, and then heard the swoosh of her front door. She buried her head in the pillow and forced her screaming sex to calm down. She reminded herself that she needed to be fair. Kirk deserved his second…date? But she didn't know what he could do that would top _that_…

_to be continued... _


	9. Escalation

IX. Escalation

Kirk was furious. That pointy-eared son of a bitch openly challenged him. Bad enough that he was still pissed about the recent mission failure, but _that_! The way Spock eyed Kirk while putting his hands on Uhura's neck pissed him off. And then he had the _cojones_ to follow her to her quarters. Kirk's first instinct was to go over and deck his science officer. But then he nodded. It was all part of the contest between them. He had been late getting to the obs deck; mission paperwork was a bona-fide bitch, and so missed most of her performance. Kirk was surprised to see that Spock ventured out of his little dark spot, one-upping him. For the moment.

He would be damned if he missed another one of her dances. He didn't care what was going on, as long as it wasn't a red alert. Then it wouldn't matter, as all of them would be on the bridge. Other than that, he was going to be standing right next to his first officer. The whole thing would be amusing, if he and Spock were competing to sleep with the lady in question. But this was about who would win her heart, so it was infinitely more serious. And there were no boundaries. None had been established.

So he readied his own plan of seduction. However, he was going to make sure Spock didn't have another chance to get her alone like that.

* * *

Uhura decided to wear pink. She was really getting into the fact that she was dancing for her commander. She still wondered if she was also dancing for her captain. Uhura had not had the opportunity to bring it up; circumstances hadn't allowed them much time together. But he sent her a message that he wanted to have dinner with her within the next few days, if she could schedule it. She thought she would ask him about the dancing then. Uhura was eager to know if Kirk was watching her too. The whole idea was very sexy and erotic. She would not deny how good it made her feel. It was an invigorating sensation, one that sustained her during long boring hours on the bridge, especially when either one of them glanced at her. What were they thinking whenever they looked at her while on duty? What was going through their minds? She knew what was going through _hers_.

Damn Gaila for her suggestion. Damn herself for actually doing it. But she had to admit; it was fun. Back in the Academy and in college, she attracted a lot of boys with no sense of imagination. She supposed her dedication to her studies and sheer brilliance put off a lot of potential suitors, which left the dreck that believed her to be susceptible to any common pickup. As a result, her dealings with the opposite sex were limited to a handful of partners, and that was more of a biological thing than a need to be in a relationship.

But those days were over. Captain Kirk and Commander Spock weren't boys. She thought that about Kirk when they first met, but she had to admit he was persistent. Time spent working with him, especially as her captain, made her revise her previous thoughts. Then he revealed another side of his personality; one not to be trifled with. And Spock, being Vulcan, wasn't one to be trifled with either. No, Uhura was dealing with men. Men who knew exactly what they wanted. How utterly refreshing.

She supposed if they were facing off over her, she could make it even more interesting than it already was. Gaila instructed her to make them go balls-out over her; the winner would prove himself worthy of her heart. Uhura had never ever been in a situation like this, and she couldn't help testing her power. She was interested in seeing which man would pull out the stops, so she decided to make them up the ante. After his seductive massage, Spock was in the lead. Kirk was up.

She sat on the floor of the observation deck, drinking water and stretching. Then, when the music began, she started moving.

*

Over in the corner, Spock stood with his hands behind his back. Kirk stood next to him, arms folded.

"Is there any particular reason for you to be standing here, Captain?"

"If you think I'm giving you another chance to pull the shit you did last time, you are out of your mind, Commander."

"I do not know what you are referring to, Captain."

"I thought Vulcans didn't lie."

"We do not."

"Then you know full well what I'm talking about. What, you think I didn't hear you offer to relieve her tension? What the hell?"

"I do not believe I whispered it," Spock said. "And her muscles were tense. She would not get proper rest with a sore back. A massage was the logical thing to do."

"Logic my ass," Kirk hissed. "I'm sure you did more than rub her back."

"Are you referring to something _you_ would have done, Captain? For that is all _I_ did."

Kirk shook his head. "Whatever. Watch your back."

Neither man had taken his eyes off the object of their discussion.

"Am I to understand that you are worried about boundaries now, Captain? I do believe it was established that there were none except what she creates. She has not instituted any."

Kirk merely rolled his eyes. Spock was right. Uhura hadn't uttered a word about what could and could not happen. Kirk cocked his head to the side as he watched her. Uhura dancing was by far the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. All the women he'd ever dated didn't even come close. He was looking forward to having another opportunity to spend more private time with her. He wanted to know more about her mother and father and her relationship with her dad. He liked the fact that she had a major weakness. If given the chance, he would gladly feed her candy for the rest of her days. The memory of the way she attacked that chocolate lollipop stayed with him, especially when she conveyed internal transmissions to him while on the bridge. Only his control kept those moments tame and calm.

Her movements were an eclectic blend of dancing styles and he sensed that it was all improvised. She moved with so much passion, as if she knew she had an audience. But she did. She knew Spock was there. Kirk had a feeling that Uhura knew that he was watching her as well. To be certain, he would have to inform her that he was part of her audience. Kirk smirked. He knew exactly how to tell her.

She slid down to the floor and moved her legs in large circles, ending in another 'V' before lowering them and sitting up in one fluid motion. Then she turned her head in their direction, shook her hair and smiled.

Kirk heard Spock's breathing quicken. His own increased. "Would you look at that? She likes having an audience."

"She knows that I am here. She does not know that you are. One might deduce that her behavior is all for my benefit."

"But it isn't, and I bet she knows that too. I wouldn't be surprised if our lovely xenolinguist knows that we are rivals. She's no slouch, or haven't you noticed?"

"I have noticed everything, Captain. And I would agree with your assessment that she is well aware that _we_ are standing over here watching her. I would infer that she derives a significant amount of pleasure in knowing that she commands our considerable interest."

"Which, in English, means that she's getting off on us watching her. Sometimes I wish you would cut out the bullshit and get to the point, Spock."

A long moment of silence. Kirk sighed. "Why am I deliberately torturing myself?"

"I have read that some humans find pleasure in some forms torture. Perhaps what you are feeling is something akin to that."

"If you're asking me if I'm horny, then you damn well ought to know the answer to that. If _you're_ not turned on, then something is really wrong with you."

"Nothing is wrong with me, Captain."

Another long moment of silence. Uhura danced, semi-oblivious to the tension in the corner of the obs deck. Once again, she looked over in their corner, raised her hands above her head and began swaying back and forth, sliding her hands over her hair. The song she was dancing to was quite revealing and a confirmation of Spock's and Kirk's conversation.

"She's _definitely_ teasing us," Kirk said. "If I didn't know it before, I know it now."

"I would agree, Captain. Fascinating."

Kirk put his hands on his hips and cast a sideways glance at his first officer. "Did you sleep with her, Spock?"

"A gentleman does not tell, but in the sake of fairness, I have not. I am of the understanding that is a line she will not cross until she decides which of us she wants."

Kirk nodded. He didn't believe that Spock seduced her, but he had to ask. Uhura wasn't the type of woman who would do that, not when she knew how he felt about her. But he _had_ to ask.

"Are you jealous, Captain?"

"Not even close, Commander."

"What if she decides to cross that line?"

"If she wants to, she'll get no argument from me."

"You would encourage her?"

"Hell yes," Kirk said. "Nyota is a grown woman, and if she wants me like that, then who am I to deny her? I'm mortal, Spock."

"I thought this was not about sex, Jim."

"It's not, Spock. However, I will not deny that I do want it with her. You do too and you know it. Don't act like you don't want to know how she tastes. Don't pretend that you don't want to know how she feels. Don't even stand there and act like you don't want to know what it's like to have those legs wrapped around you."

Spock stared at the dancing beauty. "That is crudely stated, yet amazingly accurate."

"We're not so different after all then, are we?"

"In the case of our shared objective, we are not. Nyota is fascinating and stimulating on a physical, intellectual and emotional level. I find it quite difficult to resist her considerable charms."

Uhura was slowly rising to her feet, caressing herself. Kirk sighed. "Amen to that."

"Why have you not pursued her before?" Spock asked, even though he already knew the answer.

"I have pursued her ever since I met her. She never gave me the time of day because she thought I was a dick. Annoying and irritating were the words she used. I admit, I wasn't worthy of her then. She's made a man out of me. I guess you never pursued her because you were her teacher."

"That is correct. It would have been inappropriate."

"For you, maybe. I crossed that line with a couple of my instructors."

"Have you no sense of regulation or propriety, Captain Kirk?"

"You should know the answer to that, Commander Spock."

Spock merely stared at Uhura, who was on the floor stretching her legs. "I hope that you have no intention of sacrificing Nyota's integrity to appease your lack of propriety."

"I want to be with her in ways that I never considered with another woman. I want to love her and take care of her, Spock. And since this is unknown territory for me, I won't tread lightly. I would never hurt Nyota."

"If you expect to achieve your objective, which I will strongly object to, then you should not."

"So I guess there's no sharing of trade secrets or comparing of notes," Kirk teased. He couldn't resist ribbing Spock. This was just too rich not to.

"I would not give you any opportunity or advantage over me, Captain. I want Lieutenant Uhura solely for myself."

"I have no intention of sharing her, Commander."

Uhura rose to her feet and ceased the playlist. She took a long drink of water and shook out her hair. Then she put on her sweats and slippers and grabbed her towel and water bottle. She turned back to look into the corner for a long moment, and then left the obs deck.

* * *

After a double shift on the bridge, Uhura returned to her quarters, exhausted. Tonight, she just wanted to unwind. She planned to take a hot shower and relax. She had the next day off, but planned to do some research in preparation for a visit to a foreign planetary system. One was never really off on the _Enterprise_.

She entered her suite. "Computer, lights, twenty percent."

Her quarters were illuminated with dim light, as she preferred. She sat on her couch and removed her boots, sighing as she rubbed her feet.

"Nyota?"

She jumped up into an automatic fight stance. "Who are you and what are you doing in my quarters?"

"You don't know my voice?"

Uhura frowned at the darkness. She sighed and relaxed. "Captain?"

"No one else can override your private security, Nyota. And I'm sorry to startle you. I thought it best that I wait for you to arrive so that no one will see us enter together."

She sat back down. "Wait, I left you on the bridge."

"And I left it to Spock. I know shortcuts."

"Sir," she said, giggling in spite of herself.

"Jim," he said. "Want to turn up the lights?"

"No, after being on the bridge, I prefer darkness."

"I understand."

"Jim, I'm kinda tired."

"I know. I am as well. But we have not had any time together since we took that walk. I planned to do so much after that, but life got in the way. I apologize for that."

"Jim, you're the captain of the Federation flagship. You have nothing to apologize for."

"If I want you to be my girl, then I can't let the _Enterprise_ trump you."

"If I were to become your girl, you still have a responsibility to her. I understand that. If we should be together, she's the only mistress I'd let you have."

Kirk swallowed. "I want that so much. I'm nuts about you, Nyota. Tell me what to do and I'll do it."

"I don't have to tell you. You know what to do."

He nodded. "If you believe that, then I won't argue. Sit back and relax."

"Okay." She sat back in her chair and closed her eyes. Kirk got up and walked past her to the bathroom. She heard running water and was surprised to see him return holding a large bin.

"What are you doing?"

"I wanted to give you a foot rub. That is why I'm here. I brought supplies."

"Jim, you don't have to—"

"I want to."

He pulled up her ottoman and sat on it, placing the bin in front of her feet. "Put your feet in the water."

"I can't believe you're doing this, Jim."

"Well, I am. Sit back and relax."

She did so, smiling. "I told you that you knew what to do."

Kirk got up and picked one of her newly-delivered yellow roses out of its vase. He pulled off all the petals at once and dropped them in her foot bath. He sat back down, put his hands on her knees, and began to rub slowly. Uhura sighed.

"You're spoiling me," she said. "First candy, now this? How do you plan to keep this up?"

"I'll find a way."

"I'll have to return the favor."

"No you don't," he said. "This is the first time that…_this_…hasn't been all about me." When he was with those other women, they catered to him from head to foot, in the hopes of catching him.

"You flatter me."

"Perhaps, but I also speak the truth. Now relax."

He picked up her foot and patted it dry with a towel, then used some of the rose petals to rub into the sole of her foot.

"Oh wow," she breathed. "Oh, that feels…"

"Shh," he said, focusing on the foot rub. She had beautiful feet. After a few minutes of intense massaging, he repeated the action with her other foot.

"Jim, this is amazing…this is…"

"Sexy as hell," he finished. "I've never done this before, and here I am literally throwing rose petals at your feet. It _must_ be love."

She laughed. "If you say so." She had never found him more attractive and more appealing than she did right now. Uhura had to admit that she could see herself with _this_ Jim Kirk.

"Is it possible that you could love me, Nyota?"

"Yes," she said. "This side of you, this new you, this I like."

"It's not new; just recently discovered." Kirk put her feet in his lap and began to rub her legs. He couldn't stop himself. "It hit me like a ton of bricks."

"But you can't be like this all the time, Jim. You're not able to. You need detachment when you're on duty."

"I can be this way with _you_, Nyota. I find it easy to be this way with you. It will balance out the detachment I need to do my job. But you're right; I can't be like this all the time. This is a side I'll only show to you."

Uhura relaxed into the couch, sighing again. "If you start this thing by spoiling me, Jim, you are going to have to maintain it. My father always told me that the man who wins my heart should keep me at the level to which I'm accustomed to, but must intend to take me higher."

Kirk was undaunted. "I'm the man for the job. You have to admit, no other man has taken you to the stars."

She giggled and sighed. "You're really funny. I like it when you make me laugh. This feels so good. If I go to sleep on you, I'm sorry."

He kissed her kneecap. "Apology accepted. And I'll make you laugh anytime you want."

Uhura smiled to herself as she sank deeper into her chair. "Don't wait for me to want it."

Kirk was rubbing her calves, relieving the tension caused by her double shift and those uncomfortable boots.

"I hate those boots," she said.

"No, they don't suit you, do they?"

"They don't suit anybody, Jim. They're horrible. Can't you authorize a shoe upgrade?"

"No. They're Starfleet-issued and a mandatory part of the uniform."

"But they're still hideous. I'll never get used to wearing them."

"So you like shoes too?" He smiled to himself. He liked shoes as well.

"Yes," she said. "I love shoes. They're right up there with my candy infatuation."

"Hmmm," he said. "I won't bother to share the fantasy I'm going to have about that."

"Now that you said it, I want to know."

"Are you sure? It's already hot in here."

She stared at him, smiling. "I'm sure."

"Well," he began, moving down to her ankles, "I would really like to see you naked in the captain's chair in a pair of red high heels or leather boots while sucking on a lollipop."

"Really?" That was an image.

"Yeah," he said. "So let's not go into any more details."

"Yeah," she said. "You're right." That actually wasn't a half-bad idea. "It wouldn't work because there are always at least four people on the bridge at any given time."

Kirk stared at her as he stroked the backs of her legs. "I can get rid of them for an hour or so during gamma shift, Nyota. So it's indeed possible for you to fulfill that fantasy. If you're so inclined."

"You're such a naughty boy, Captain."

He gazed at the spot where her thighs met. "You have no idea how bad I can be."

Uhura sighed. "Okay, it really is getting hot in here. I'm sorry I started that."

"I'm not," he said. Then they sat in companionable silence for a little while. Kirk slid his hands up and down her legs, kneading until her muscles relaxed. Uhura dozed off. She awoke abruptly when she felt his hands slide to her thighs and he whispered her name.

"Um, yes?"

"I'm done. Come on, you need to go to bed."

She yawned. "I don't want to get up, Jim. I'm good right here."

"No," he said. "That won't do." He bent over and picked her up, cradling her in his arms. She was so easy to hold. Kirk carried her to her bedroom and laid her on her bed, kissing her forehead. She looked at him, tenderness in her eyes.

"Thank you," she said.

"I don't dare do more," he said. "I won't be able to stop myself."

She nodded, yawning again. "I do recognize that you have been tolerant with me. I know that you could have been doing many other things with many other women. You and my other suitor have been very patient. I appreciate it. I do." If they had been even the slightest bit insistent on having sex, she would have been sleeping with both of them by now. That wasn't a good idea. Wasn't it? Was it? She was no longer sure.

"You're worth it," he said, electing not to tell her that he knew about Spock. Not yet, anyway. "Will you have dinner with me tomorrow night?"

"Yes."

"Good. Then I'll see you then. Good night, Nyota."

"Good night, Captain."

* * *

Kirk was having a conference with his senior officers. A request had been submitted to Starfleet. There was an alien colony in a remote planetary system that initiated contact to join the UFP. Admiral Pike dispatched the Enterprise to investigate the planet and ensure the validity of the request. They were scheduled to arrive in a week and Kirk had everyone working to discover any and all information about the colony. There was very little to be found so far. Spock made his report from the research provided to him by his science department heads.

"The planetary system is very similar to Earth's solar system. The Amigosis star, an F-class giant similar to Polaris, has seven planets orbiting it. Six of the seven planets are uninhabitable. Four are due to their proximity to Amigosis, and two are because they are so distant. The planet in question is generally known as Amigosa V, the fifth planet in the system. It is an M-class planet with a diameter smaller than that of Earth's. Water is extremely abundant and the planet itself is a lush, green jungle. Very little is known about the culture of the colony that inhabits Amigosa V. In fact, the message transmitted to Starfleet was very simplistic in content and did not contain visuals. One might conclude that the culture's technology is limited."

"We're the closest starship," Kirk said. "Admiral Pike wants us to check out the planet due to the fact that the message was a request to join the Federation. We'd like to know who and what we're dealing with before any such negotiations can be made. If we go to warp factor 4, we can be there in a day or two. However, I'd like to know more about the planet itself as well as the inhabitants before we arrive. We have some time on this and we need to be prepared, so we'll remain at our current speed for the next few days. Commander Spock, get your researchers on this ASAP."

"Aye, Captain."

"Lieutenant Uhura, I want your team of linguists to search the databases to find out if any contact has been made to Amigosa V from any other alien cultures outside of the Federation, and if so, start learning the language. If necessary, you will be our translator when we arrive."

"Yes, sir."

"Mr. Chekov, I want you to plot and lay in the best course to the Amigosis system and from there, locate the nearest Starfleet base. Scotty, I want you to make sure that the _Enterprise's_ engines are at peak, just in case we need to rush at a moment's notice."

Chekov and Scotty nodded affirmatives. "Aye, Captain."

"Dismissed."

Uhura and the other officers left the conference room. She was headed towards the communications lab to inform her assistants of the captain's orders.

"Lieutenant?"

She stopped. Commander Spock was walking towards her. "Yes sir?"

"After you have completed your assignments for this shift, I would like to request your presence on the holodeck at 1900 hours."

Uhura smiled. "Really?"

"Yes. I have taken the liberty of arranging another opportunity for us to spend time together. Mr. Scott has informed me that the holodeck is now operational."

"That's good to know, Commander. Why has it taken so long?" She could have been doing her dancing there, but the captain informed everyone that the holodeck was inoperable, so no one used it.

"It was discovered right after we left space dock that there were minute malfunctions in the computer systems. It has taken Mr. Scott's engineering team some time to locate and repair the malfunctions, and this was done during times when their skills and attentions were not required elsewhere. The captain has not announced it to the crew yet; he plans to do so after this mission is complete."

"Oh," she said. "So, we've got a date tonight?"

"Yes. I hope that you find my efforts pleasing."

She nodded and stared at him. His blue tunic really went well with his skin. "I'm sure I will. What do you want me to do?"

"I would like for you to be present, Lieutenant. I will let you get back to your assignment."

"See you tonight," she said, smiling widely.

He nodded, turned and walked away.

* * *

Spock waited for her outside of the holodeck's double doors. It was located on the same corridor as the observation deck and the officers' quarters. He had programmed what he hoped would be a singular experience for Uhura as well as a pleasurable remembrance for himself. He already had one: the memory of massaging her back and kissing her spine. He had sampled that memory on a regular basis and wanted to make a new one of her and with her. It was very easy to imagine the lieutenant as his mate, as he did not expect that the captain would be successful in his efforts to woo her. He was impressed by the man's determination—scuttlebutt said that he was no longer intimately involved with Dr. McCoy's chief nurse. However, Spock did not believe that Kirk would be able to maintain such; that he would slip back into his old habits of whimsical intimacy.

Spock did not concern himself with the issue of what might occur once it was established that Uhura was his mate. Mr. Sulu might be disappointed, as well as Mr. Willis, the head of security and those others who found Lieutenant Uhura appealing. He was professional enough, and he believed she was as well, that their intimate connection would not interfere with their duty.

"Commander?"

"Yes, Lieutenant. Good evening."

"Hi," she said, smiling at him.

"Are you ready?"

"I am."

"In order to prepare fully for this experience, I must request that you change out of your uniform and into the ensemble that I have in this package." He handed her a box.

Uhura grinned. "A present?"

"If you deem it as such. I too, must change."

"I won't be long," she said.

A few minutes later, she stood with him again outside the holodeck doors. Uhura wore a long bluish-gray hooded sheath that flattered her figure. It was made of a soft material with which she was unfamiliar. She was amused to see Spock in a dark outfit very similar to the one his father wore. Spock entered the code and the program and they entered. Uhura did a double-take. Spock closed his eyes as the doors closed.

"Spock, is this…is this _Vulcan_?"

"Yes."

"How did you…?"

"The holodeck, as you know, allows you to create personalized programs. I have recreated a portion of my home world. Specifically, the cliffs near my ancestral home. If you would take my arm, please?"

He led her deep into the simulation, which was rocky and steep in some areas. They emerged on a plateau where sat a table and two chairs. The plateau overlooked a chasm and in the distance was the red-orange Vulcan sun. Spock led her to the table and helped her sit down. He sat in the chair beside her.

"Spock, this is…this is so beautiful. I mean, I've only read about Vulcan in books. I—I don't know what to say. I mean, are you okay with this?"

"If I were not, I would not have created this for you."

"Okay," she said. "If you're good, I'm good. She relaxed into the chair.

"Computer, please produce the meal," he said. Before them, a plate of fruit, vegetables and cheese appeared as well as a bottle of some clear liquid.

Uhura could not stop smiling. Spock had already surpassed her expectations. He served her.

"As you know, Vulcans are vegetarians. What I have here is a plate of select fruit and vegetables as well as some Terran cheese and crackers. I hope this is sufficient for your meal."

"We didn't have to eat at all, Spock, and I would have been fine."

"That would be illogical, Nyota. You must nourish yourself. We have been occupied all day." He served her a plate and poured her a glass of the liquid. "This is nectar made from a combination of some of our fruit. You will find the taste very light, similar to a Terran apple-pear blend."

"Okay," she said. He could have given her a sock to eat and she would have consumed it with pleasure. She took her plate and began to eat the fruit and vegetables. "So, tell me about this place."

He spent the next few minutes describing the environment and the general location of his home, and the significance of the place he chose for the simulation. When he was younger, he used to spend long moments gazing at 40 Eridani A, Vulcan's sun. He sometimes did it with his mother, who would share with him the reasons why she had come to love the reddish, desert planet. It was a place of peace, of meditation, of serenity. The chasm was a reminder of how harsh Vulcan could be as well. Then he asked her to describe the location where she grew up, and she did so, telling him about her favorite childhood places in Kenya.

He took her arm and led her towards the chasm so she could see the ridges and layers in Vulcan's crust. Standing beside him, she reached and took his hand.

"Will the sun set?"

"The length of the simulation does not allow it to."

"Can we come here again?"

"As often as you like. I hope you enjoyed this."

"I did. It is nothing like I expected and I am very pleased."

"I would want you to be pleased with me."

"I am," she said. "I would be, too." She could easily see herself romantically involved with Spock.

"Are you going to establish some boundaries for my courtship and the courtship of the other male?"

"I should," she said, wanting to be held by him. "I need to, because this is getting serious."

"With me or with both of us?"

"With both of you."

"Then I must escalate my attentions."

She sighed, squeezing his fingers. Spock turned and embraced her. Uhura melted into him, pressing her cheek against his chest.

"You must have known that I needed this," she said.

"If I choose, I can know everything you want just by touching you. You know what I want when I touch you. However, I do not use my ability haphazardly, nor would I pry into your innermost thoughts. Please know that." He allowed his fingers to slide through her hair.

"I do. And you're right; I need to give you parameters. Except I can't. I can't."

"Why not?"

She closed her eyes for a moment and then looked up at him. "I assume you want the truth."

"I would hope that you always share nothing but that with me."

"I can't because I'm really attracted to both of you. It would be so much easier if I weren't, or if it were just the one. But it's like fate is playing games with me."

"I do not believe in fate. You choose your path, Nyota." He put his hands on the back of her neck and slid his fingers through her hair, caressing the back of her head. Uhura moaned and leaned her head back into his hands, closing her eyes. He gazed at her exposed throat and leaned down to kiss it. She moaned again and wound her fingers through his hair. Spock kissed his way over to the place where her neck and shoulder met, then back, pressing his warm lips against the hollow of her throat. Uhura sighed gustily. This man had the most creative kisses she'd ever experienced.

"This is just what I mean," she said between exhalations. "How can I set a boundary when I want this, when I want the both of you like this?"

He stopped kissing her throat and murmured, "It is the mere fact that you have captured the attention of two very distinct strong personalities. We are similar to a pH scale. He is an acid. I am a base. You neutralize the both of us."

Uhura stared at him. "Do you know who he is, Spock?"

"Of course. There could be no other."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry."

"We have been watching you dance since the Enterprise left space dock almost seven months ago. And do not apologize, as that is illogical. I do not believe that you intended to capture our attentions, but you did."

Uhura closed her eyes. Gaila and Irish had been right—again! And it pleased her to know that.

"You both came at me at the same time and you appeal to me in different ways. I am struggling with my choice. I can't figure out how it is possible that I have such strong feelings for two polar opposites."

"Perhaps our differences give you a balance in your own life. That is logical." Spock cupped her face and she was energized again by the feel of his hands on her skin. "I will do whatever is required to make it easy for you."

"How long will you put up with my indecision before you grow impatient?"

"I do not get impatient, Nyota. I cannot speak for the captain. I can say with certainty that he will not give up so easily. But you know that."

She closed her eyes and he kissed her. This kiss was way different from their previous one. It was, as expected, different from Kirk's. And yet, just as magnificent. His mouth was warm, his lips soft. Then he did something with his tongue and her head nearly exploded. When she pulled away, she met his heated gaze.

"What did you just do to me?" she breathed. She was beside herself. Whatever that was, it was…_marvelous_!

"I would like to do it again," he replied, his breathing harsh.

"Please," she said, and kissed him again. That tongue thing was incredible. Just like that, she was a raging inferno. When he stopped, she was visibly shaken. Spock stepped away from her.

"We should be leaving, as the simulation will end in two minutes and forty-two seconds."

"All…right."

He took her arm and led her towards the holodeck exit. It was a minute or so before she could speak clearly.

"Where did you learn to kiss like that?"

He raised an eyebrow and looked at her. "I have extensive knowledge of human physiology, and when it is necessary, I use my own to exploit it. That is what I did in an attempt to make your choice easier."

She shook her head. "That was fantastic."

"I will kiss you like that anytime you wish, Nyota."

She closed her eyes and squeezed his arms as they walked over the terrain. "I don't know how to respond to that, Spock."

"I expect that you will soon."

They reached the doors and exited the holodeck just as the simulation ended. Uhura gathered her uniform. "Do you want this back?" she asked, running her hand over the dress.

"I would like it if you kept it."

"Thank you for a beautiful experience, Spock."

"Would you like me to escort you to your quarters?"

"That might not be the best idea. I mean, that kiss was…I'd better not put myself in a situation where…I don't want you to think…No, Spock, it's fine. I'd better escort myself."

He merely nodded and bade her goodnight. She wished him the same and walked towards her suite, knowing that in regards to her suitors, the proverbial gloves were off and things were escalating.

_to be continued... _


	10. Seduction, part 1

X. Seduction, part I

Uhura smiled. She was going to dinner in the captain's quarters. She was looking forward to it. She had never seen his quarters, but everyone knew that he had the best digs on the ship. He had earned it. She wondered again if he had a bathtub.

She looked in her closet, which was a futile effort. All she had were her uniforms, Starfleet-issued clothing, and the dress Spock gave her. She wasn't about to wear it with Kirk. She put on a clean uniform, made up her face and put her hair in a quick upsweep. Then she donned her favorite pair of silver earrings and the matching bracelet. Then she was out the door.

When she arrived, the room was lit with candles and there was a warm fragrance tinting the air. On a small table was a gift box with a card. The card had her name on it. She read it.

_Nyota, this is for you. You may use the side lavatory to change. Jim._

A gift? From the note, it sounded like an outfit. She picked up the box and located the side bathroom. She opened the box and gasped. Within the layers of tissue, she discovered a silver dress and a matching pair of heeled sandals. The dress was very simple and very elegant. She could not hide her pleasure and quickly shed her uniform and boots. Kirk had also given her a dress to wear. And shoes!

'_Well, at least they know how to set the mood.'_

When she looked in the mirror, she was amazed to find that it fit perfectly. The back was open and it stopped a good five to six inches above her knees. Certainly no longer than her uniform skirt. It definitely highlighted the curve of her ass without being snug. The shoes were fabulous. There was no way Jim Kirk picked this out. Some woman did it for him.

When she exited the lavatory, he was standing in front of his picture window, against the backdrop of stars at warp. He was wearing black and she didn't see any insignia on his chest. He held out his hand and she took it.

"Captain," she said. "Thank you."

"No titles tonight," he said, kissing her fingers. "Tonight, we're just average people."

"I could never think of you as average," she said. He wasn't.

"Nor I you," he replied. "But I insist you call me Jim. You are stunning."

"Jim," she said. "Oh baby isn't an option?" she teased.

He smiled and inclined his head. "Only if you want it to be. Come and sit down. Our meal will be delivered shortly."

Kirk led her to the couch. Uhura sat down and he sat beside her. She crossed her legs, admiring the shoes. He admired her legs.

"I love this dress, Jim. I really did not want to come to dinner in that drab uniform."

"It has its charms," he said, taking her hand and stroking her fingers. "I had to guess at your size."

"You know you had a woman pick this out."

He blushed. "I did. I had Yeoman Rand find it. But I thought it appropriate for dinner. I wanted to see you in clothes outside of your uniform. I'm pleased with what I'm seeing."

She beamed at him. He kissed her fingers again. "I have a confession."

"What is it?"

"I've been watching you dance."

Uhura smiled again and decided to act surprised. "Really? For how long?"

"How long have we been aboard this ship for the current mission?"

"That long?"

"I saw you the Friday before we left space dock. You were dancing and everyone in the bar was staring at you. I was too. Where did you learn to dance like that?"

She shrugged. "My sisters and I were trained in ballet when we were young. I was on the dance team in high school and minored in creative movement in college. When I got accepted into the Academy, I used to dance as a form of exercise. Before that night, I hadn't danced in years. I lost a dare to Gaila. You remember her."

"Your old roommate? Yeah. So you did that on a dare?"

"It was either dance or go hit on some guy."

Kirk smiled slowly and Uhura's blood heated. His eyes flicked over her. "You could have hit on me."

She smiled back. "I'm well aware of our history, Jim. Hitting on you instead of you hitting on me just doesn't feel right."

"I'm glad you didn't; then I would not have known the pleasure of watching you dance almost every night. You are amazing and so flexible. I must admit, watching you gets me hot."

She closed her eyes. "I didn't know that you'd been watching me for that long."

"I meant it when I told you how I felt about you. I have been nuts about you since that night in the bar in Iowa. Watching you dance brought it out in ways I never imagined. I was about to lose my mind; you knew this because I couldn't stop staring at you on the bridge. Bones told me to tell you how I felt."

He waited a long moment. "Spock is your other suitor."

She looked at him. "So you do know?"

"Yes. We sort of…ran into each other on the observation deck."

"How do you feel about that?"

"How do you feel about Spock?"

"Answer my question first, Jim."

"I'm a little jealous in that I won't have your complete attention. But I never back down from a challenge. Spock is a worthy adversary and you are worth it. Your turn."

"I'm very attracted to the commander, as much as I am to you. I can't explain it, because you have nothing in common. Maybe it's a power thing. I don't know why I feel like I do. I just do. It is what it is."

He looked thoughtful. "He and I are rivals."

"I figured as much. I don't expect either of you to back down; your personalities are just too strong. What I don't want is for this thing to affect our working relationship. I do not want reassignment to any other ship, and Spock is the best science officer in the fleet."

"And where do I fit in that universe?"

"In the captain's chair, of course. Where else would you be?"

He nodded. "Fair enough."

The door chimed. Kirk got up to answer it. A cadet rolled in a service, set the table, lit the candles and placed the serving dishes. Before leaving, he opened a bottle of wine. Kirk took Uhura's hand and walked her to the table, seated her and spread her napkin before joining her. He fixed her plate and served her, then himself. Beaming, she poured the wine.

Dinner conversation was light during the appetizer and the entrée. They discussed work to a short extent. He asked her about her relationship with her parents. She told him that her mother was still not over her choice to become a Starfleet officer, but her father loved the idea. He told her that he regretted never being able to know his father. She mentioned that they should resume their banter. He shrugged in response. Uhura decided that the meal was good and his attention worth the effort. It was when he revealed dessert—double chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and strawberries—that things got heavy.

"Chocolate cake? What are you trying to do to me, Jim? You know I love chocolate!"

"I know. I'm not _trying_ anything. I'm _seducing_ you."

"Do you think you can?"

"I think I have so far."

"Mmn," she said. "Touché."

She cut a piece of cake and ice cream, topping it with a strawberry. It tasted heavenly. She took another bite and licked the back of the fork. Uhura took a sip of wine. "This is amazing. Why aren't you having any?"

"Do you want the true answer or the censored version?

"Only truth, Jim."

"That's not the chocolate I want to eat."

She met his gaze. Kirk's chin rested in his hand. His arm was propped on the table and there was that same heat in his blue eyes. It was a look that only served to set her scalp on fire. One day he was going to make her explode.

Uhura closed her eyes. A lack of sexual intimacy combined with the double barreled blast of two officers in love was killing her. She thought she could handle it, but now she wasn't so sure. She wasn't sure she could resist either man for much longer. This thing had been going on for months. Both men had been eerily patient, but how long would that last? They were _men_.

"I…I won't have intercourse with you, Jim. I won't do it; I'm not the kind of woman who would use it like that. That wouldn't be fair." That would be the only rule she could safely establish. She hoped, anyway.

'_They'll go as far as you let them.'_

Kirk gazed at her. "Who says we have to have intercourse?"

"Who do you think you're fooling, Captain? _You_ have to have sex. I won't make love to you or to Spock until I've decided who I want."

"I don't need to make love to you to please you."

She took another sip of wine. "Please don't do this to me, Jim. I don't think I will be able to stand it."

"Neither can I, Nyota. Do you know how hard it is to sit here and watch you when all I want to do is to carry you to bed? I wanted to have a date with you because I want to romance you properly. You deserve it. I won't do anything you don't want me to, but I want you. You want me. What do we do about that?"

"I don't know."

"I do. Come dance for me."

"What?"

"Come dance for me." He got up and held out his hand. Taken by surprise, she grasped his hand.

Kirk pulled her up to the middle of the floor. "Pick a song from your playlist."

"You really want me to dance for you? In spite of our conversation?"

"Yes."

"You play with fire, Captain."

"You should know that by now. Set me on fire. Burn me. Dance for me. Please me. I'll return the favor."

Uhura stared at him. "What favor is that?"

"Whatever you ask of me. Come on."

She stood in front of him. "Okay." She removed her shoes, put them out of the way and put in her authorization code, then chose a song.

"Anything you want me to do in particular?"

"I'd love to see you do one of those 'V's with your legs, but…I won't do that to myself."

Uhura smiled seductively at him. "Good. Because I'm wearing a thong. Anything else you'd like?"

He ran a hand over his face and muttered an expletive. "Whatever you do is fine with me."

It wasn't long before she was moving in front of him. His eyes were hooded as he watched her, and from the Mona Lisa smile on her face, she was enjoying this. Kirk circled her slowly, his hands behind his back to keep from grabbing her. Maybe this was a bad idea. Correction—it _was_ a bad idea.

"You like it when we watch you, don't you? You like making us horny, right?"

She nodded. "It makes me feel really sexy. I admit it, I didn't think I was a tease, but that's exactly what I'm doing…when I do this. I'm sorry, Captain. But I like feeling this way."

"You think we mind?"

"I hope you don't."

"Shit, _I _don't. Can't speak for Spock."

Kirk continued circling her. His motions were panther-like, as if he were coming in for the kill.

"If I manage to get a pole installed, would you use it?" he asked.

She paused and turned to look at him. "What? A _pole_? You mean a stripper pole?"

"Yes. Would you use it?"

"Are you serious? Jim, I'm not a stripper!"

"I know that, Nyota. I know very well what you are and are not."

"I can't believe you just offered to—are you kidding?"

"No," he said. "I'm not. When you dance, you seem like you could use some sort of vertical support. I've seen it used in that fashion. There are women on Risa who—well, never mind _that_. I don't mention it to imply that you're an exotic dancer, even though your dancing is erotic. I just want to know if you would be willing to use it when you dance."

"Even if I agreed to such a request, how in the world would you get one on board this ship? And where would you put it?"

"I'm just asking. If I did, would you use it? I would like to see it."

Uhura shook her head. She could not believe he had actually asked her that. She decided to humor him. "I don't know how to pole, Jim. I might break my neck."

"I don't think so," he murmured. "Not with the way you move. Would you be willing to try?"

"I don't know," she said again. "I can't answer that right now." Considering that she _could_ use a support to help with her stretching and leg lifts, it was not an altogether ridiculous thought. Outrageous? Yes. But she didn't discount it. This whole affair between her, him and Spock was bordering on scandalous. Kirk was merely upping the ante.

He then came up behind her and put his hands on his waist. "If you choose me, would you consider it? Don't stop moving." His voice covered her like warm chocolate.

Uhura moaned softly as he pressed against her. The man was hot in every definition of the word. It was only a matter of time before she spontaneously combusted. She thought she might consider learning to pole for him if he was the one she chose. There were resources available. He was probably worth it.

Kirk rocked back and forth with her, finding the rhythm as easy as she did.

"I didn't know you could dance," she said.

"I'll have to take you on our next shore leave," he said. "But it is easy to move with you like this. Nyota, I'm losing my mind. Don't stop," he murmured in her ear. "Don't stop…don't, please…" He stroked her waist and her abdominals. She covered his hands and moved her hips in a tight oval. Kirk grasped her hips and pressed into her so that she could feel his arousal.

"Oh…" she murmured. He felt so good. This was absolutely dangerous.

"Don't stop," he said again. "Oh shit, keep going…keep going…" Her naked back was against his chest and his erection rested above the cleft of her buttocks. He moved with her, pressing into her as hard as he could. "Don't stop," he repeated. He could come from this alone as long as _she…didn't…stop…_

"We're going to get in trouble if I don't. You're going to make me a liar if I don't." It would be so easy to allow it to happen. She wanted him and he wanted her and they both wanted it.

"I won't tell if you won't. Please…don't stop…Nyota, you feel so _good_…!" He caught her earlobe between his teeth.

"Captain, please…please…" She was about to detonate from his scent, his heat, the crush of his body against hers, and the sensual way he was sucking on her earlobe.

"Let me please you," he said. "Let me…keep moving…let me pleasure you, Nyota."

He wanted to bend her over. It would have been easy…the chair was right there, her dress was short, and she'd been brazen enough to inform him that she wore a thong…a few moments was all it would take… "Don't stop," he panted.

Uhura closed her eyes. It would be too easy to turn and let things take their natural course. It would be too easy to capitulate. She remembered how easy it would have been for her to yield to Spock. How in the world did she get here? She inhaled deeply and stopped moving. This wasn't helping her nerves or her tension. Nor his, if what she felt behind her was any indication.

"Jim, we have to stop. I'm sorry."

He sighed, but didn't let her go. "Let me satisfy you," he said. "Let me please you. It won't go any farther than that."

Uhura closed her eyes again. She was so wet she was practically dripping. Her body was screaming for release. It demanded that she cash the check for doing all those sensual dances. It demanded that she pay the cost for teasing Kirk. Honestly, she brought this on just as much as he did. Uhura was not sure if she regretted it.

"Please," he whispered. His voice was thick with need.

"What about you?" she asked.

"This isn't about me, Nyota." If it was, he would have had her in bed the moment she entered the suite. All he wanted was to hold her heat in his hand, to have her grind against him, to suck her sweetness from his fingers. He could make do with that for a little while.

Giving in, she locked one hand around his neck and turned her head to kiss him. He kissed her hungrily. She tasted like ripe strawberries. He tried not to devour her mouth, but he had wanted this, wanted her like this for so long. Kirk allowed his fingers to slide under her dress and between her legs. She was plump, warm and wet. He cupped her, relishing the feel of her sex in his hand. In moments, she was moaning against his mouth while grinding against his fingers. He broke the kiss and murmured, "…so _hot_…"

"Oh…oh my god…!" she pleaded. She was close. He felt it.

"Come for me, Nyota. Come for me. Come all over my hand."

A couple of seconds later, she did just that, her moan leaving her on one long exhale. "_Oh_…!" she whispered. She removed her hand from the back of his head. He removed his hand from between her thighs. She turned to look at him. He was licking his fingers while looking at her.

"Sweet," he murmured. "I knew you would be."

"What did I just do?" she said, smoothing down the dress. She had climaxed in under a minute. What the hell? Was she _that_ deprived? The last few minutes blindsided her. "Capt—Jim…what just…what did I do?"

"You let me please you," he said. "Thank you."

Uhura braced herself against the back of the chair to stop her legs from trembling. Her orgasm was swift and overwhelming and he hadn't even touched her breasts, her navel or any of her other erogenous zones. She wouldn't be able to stay away from him. Not after that. "I'm in trouble," she said.

"We both are," he said. "I am definitely in for it. I don't know how long I can go now without the taste and smell of you on me. All I want to do now is sit you on the table and eat you for dessert." He started walking towards her. "Be my dessert, Nyota. Be my Andorian Jujubee."

"Oh shit," she whimpered, remembering how she'd described the candy. It was definitely time to go. "I need to leave, Jim. I need to go back to my quarters. I'll leave the dress in the bathroom."

"No. It's yours. I hope to see you in it again soon."

"Are you trying to make me lose it?"

"Yes. I want you to lose it. I want you to tell me to lick you. I want you to demand that I fuck you. I want to hear my name on your lips when I make you come. I want to make you come again…and again…and again." He moved towards her once more. "I've already lost it and I want you to lose it too."

"I need to go," she said and darted into the bathroom to change clothes. It took three tries to get the zipper on her uniform right. She balled up the dress and exited the lavatory. She picked up the shoes and turned to stare at him. He stared back, sucking his fingers. "Good night, Nyota."

"Good night," she said and left his suite.

* * *

Uhura lay in bed that night, a hand between her thighs, thinking of him and of Spock. She completely underestimated them. She could not handle this; handle them. She feared that her resolve was going to crumble. It was no match for Spock's sensuality and Kirk's seduction. She didn't even know what was coming next, or if she could take it. The appeal, attention and desire of both men were explosive. If she were like Irish or Gaila, she would have cheerfully screwed both men by now and continued to do so. But she wasn't her friends; she was Nyota Uhura, and she wanted more. There was no denying her powerful attraction to both men. All that was left was to choose which man she wanted. It was time to choose or her body would choose for her.

'_God help me,'_ she thought. Sleep never came.

_to be continued... _


	11. Seduction, part 2

XI: Seduction, part 2

The next day, Kirk sat in the captain's chair, discussing their impending visit to the planet of Amigosa V with his senior officers. Uhura was at her console.

Kirk sat with his hand constantly near his face. Every now and then, he would suck the tip of his middle finger. Uhura would catch him doing this from time to time and couldn't help but blush. Truth be told, she was still perky from last night. She wondered what was coming next. Spock was up.

"What's your report, Lieutenant Uhura? Were you able to discover if any other alien races have visited the planet?"

"From what my team has been able to discern, there has been very limited contact with any other races, sir. However, I have found a sample of their linguistic patterns and determined a cipher to use in translation. I will do that as soon as my shift here is done."

"Mr. Spock, have you been able to determine anything about the culture?"

"Aye, Captain. There is very little to go on, but I have discovered through intensive research that the Amigosians are a male-dominated warrior society with a very small population. Males outnumber females in a 4:1 ratio. All reports indicate them to be a relatively peaceful culture with a wish to join the UFP."

Kirk looked thoughtful. "There's one female to every four males?"

Spock nodded. "I cannot say for certain, but I can make some qualitative inferences as to the rationale for such a skewed ratio. The data supports my hypothesis."

"Enlighten me, Commander."

"I suspect that the population diminished as a result of too many female offspring being produced more than three decades ago. Male offspring are prized, so the females were slaughtered at birth. As a consequence, there are not enough females now to ensure continuation of the species. Female offspring are now considered prizes, as the Amigosians need to reproduce to guarantee their survival. From my analysis, I have concluded that Amigosian males have fought to the death over a female."

Kirk stared Spock in the eyes. "Is that right?"

Spock stared back. "My conclusions typically are, Captain."

Sulu wondered aloud. "Is that why we're here, Captain?"

"To my understanding, Mr. Sulu, we are here to establish a relationship between the Federation and this culture. I have not been informed of any other rationale for Pike sending us here instead of our original destination. What is our estimated time of arrival?"

"We will enter the planetary system in less than 24 hours, Captain. We will arrive at Amigosa V in 30 hours if we maintain course and speed."

"When we arrive, we shall send a team of male scouts to check out the planet before we beam down. I do not want any women down on the planet until I am certain that all is well. Prepare a team of eight scouts, Mr. Spock."

"Aye, Captain."

Kirk spun in his chair, glancing at Lieutenant Uhura. After she left him last night, he lay in bed masturbating to the feel of her sex in his palm and the way she had come all over his hand. There was no other barrier to them making love next time and they were both aware of it. He sucked the tip of his middle finger.

"I noticed that you keep inserting your finger into your mouth, Captain," Spock said. "May I inquire as to what is troubling you?"

"Nothing is troubling me, Commander. I managed to stick my finger in something hot and it's still…burning."

Spock noticed out of the corner of his eye that Uhura blushed profusely. "Perhaps you should have Dr. McCoy take a look at it."

"That's all right, Spock. Dr. McCoy can't fix _this_. Now what were you saying, Mr. Sulu?"

Uhura got up from her console as her relief entered the bridge. She looked at Kirk. "Captain, I will be in the communications lab completing my analysis of the Amigosian language if you need me."

He stared back. "I'm sure I will, but I will contact you when I do." He ran his finger under his nose and inhaled. She turned and left the bridge before she blushed again. Spock noted the exchange.

* * *

His shift was over and he wanted to see her. He had wanted to see her privately since their experience in the holodeck. And Spock was quite aware that she had recently spent time with Captain Kirk. Things had escalated. He put a command into the computer to locate her. Spock did not know what would happen when he found her, as his desire to see her was illogical and spontaneous. But it was enough to be with her and that was really all he wanted. He thought he would check on her progress. The computer informed him that she was in the communications lab.

Spock stood at the doorway. He put a command into the computer to lock the door and allowed his eyes to travel over her. As always, Uhura was most efficient. She was alone, deeply ensconced in several tasks. She was translating particular aspects of a new language, messaging back and forth on her PADD, and listening to music on her ear clip. She had her boots off, moving one bare foot to the beat. Her ability to focus and complete several tasks at once was been one of the characteristics that initially caught his attention. His eyes moved over her bare legs and feet, noticing her swinging foot. Whenever she was on the bridge, she always moved her foot in some cadence only she could hear. Spock deduced that this was her way of dissipating excess energy. Certainly it drew the attention of the men aboard the bridge. He himself was a moth to her flame.

He raised his eyebrow when he saw that she had something in her mouth. After a few seconds, she removed a stick with a bright green bulb on one end. Apparently, it was some form of sugary confection. He was amused. She absently licked the bulb with the tip of her tongue a few times before slipping it back into her mouth. Then she slowly moved her head in rhythm with her foot. All the while, her fingers flew over the touch-screen console as she sat translating the Amigosian language. She was a virtuoso.

He noticed again that she removed the candy from her mouth, paused to adjust her music clip, and then slipped the candy between her lips, holding it in place with her teeth. Spock took a deep breath. Perhaps he should reconsider disapproving of her candy predilection. He walked towards her, moving quietly. She rose from her chair, stood on her toes and leaned forward to retrieve another PADD from the shelf.

Spock was never before affected by the dress length of the female Starfleet uniform. It was merely another fact, not even a blip on his considerable radar. This was the first time he realized how short the dress was, especially on a woman like Uhura, who had very long legs and shapely buttocks. She lifted one leg to balance herself and unknowingly revealed them to Spock. He did not deny that his temperature increased.

"Lt. Uhura," he said quietly. She, music in her ears and concentrating on reaching the PADD, did not hear him.

"Lt. Uhura," he said again, louder. Startled, she dropped the PADD, her lollipop, and nearly fell over on her console.

Spock helped her up. She gasped and snatched the music clip out of her ear. "Commander, I—"

He kneeled before her to retrieve her PADD and the candy. He gazed at her feet; her nail polish was as black as her hair. When he raised his head, he was eye to eye with her thighs and the hem of her skirt. He inhaled her scent and suppressed a moan. He had to admit, she was a sensory overload. Even for a Vulcan.

Uhura stood perfectly still, not daring to move an inch. He had caught her listening to her music and eating candy while on duty…not again!

"Sir," she said. "I didn't hear you; I apologize."

Spock rose to his feet and handed her the objects. Uhura put the PADD on her console and put the Blow-Pop on the counter. She would dispose of it later. She turned back to Spock.

"Commander, I apologize, sir."

"If I may ask, Lieutenant, why are you apologizing? It was I who startled you."

"I do not want to be derelict in my duty, sir."

"If I observed correctly, you were being most efficient. As you always are. Have you completed your analysis?"

"Just about, sir. The Amigosian language is very easy to decipher. I will have no problem translating for the captain when we arrive. It's easier than some of the morphology conversions you used to assign back at the Academy."

"Ah yes," he said. "Perhaps had I understood the depth of my attraction to you then, there would not be this conundrum and you would be with me."

"I am fully aware of what is going on between you and the captain, sir."

"I deduced as much. A woman as clever as you are would have realized it soon enough."

"I do not know if I can handle being attracted to both of you, and thus allowing such a…competition to occur."

"Lt. Uhura, it would have happened whether you allowed it or not. The captain is very headstrong and very determined that you shall choose him."

"And you aren't?"

He raised an eyebrow. "In that regard, I am no different from him."

"I am admittedly overwhelmed at your expressions of desire. I never realized that I… What if I cannot decide between you?"

"Then I would venture to say that we will have to work harder at winning your affection. I myself will not give up. Because I will not, neither will the captain. We are engaged in a prehistoric practice. It is beyond you, dear Nyota. And I apologize for that. I would not want you to think that our rivalry is more about one-upmanship than it is about which of us will be your mate. I would not be engaged thusly for any other reason but that. Nor do I believe Captain Kirk would be as well. It is you we want, not the satisfaction of besting each other."

She closed her eyes and sighed. Her body was traitorous. "What would you do if you were me?"

"As I am not, it is difficult for me to say what you should do. Most certainly, I would not be pursuing myself. There is, however, something you must be very aware of."

"What is that?" Her eyes were luminous. Spock was captivated by them.

"Vulcans mate for life."

She closed her eyes. "Are you saying that Captain Kirk's feelings for me are short term?"

"I cannot say that with any reasonable certainty, Lt. Uhura. I am only stating the truth about _my_ culture. If I am your choice, we will bond. The bond is eternal. I will never be with anyone else." He gazed at her, stroking her cheek. "Nor would I want to be."

She swallowed. "So you would be loyal to me for life?"

"Yes."

"This is too much," she said. "I can't handle this." She turned away from him. "What if I decided to take the easy way out and choose…I don't know…Sulu?"

"He would be grateful, as he is enamored of you as well. You have quite an effect on the male officers on board the _Enterprise_." He tilted his head. "However, Nyota, you have never been one to take the easy way out. I would suggest that you choose the man that will give you what you need as well as what you want. You should select the man that will love you and protect you with everything he has. Only _you_ know which of us will do that for you."

"Thanks for clearing that up," she said, her voice laced with sarcasm. She sighed.

He stepped closer to her, closing his eyes and taking in her scent. She smelled of wildflowers. Spock raised one hand to touch her. It was perhaps a dangerous thing to do, but he wanted to do it. Their simulated Vulcan experience did nothing more but to exacerbate his desire to be intimate with her. Her mouth was like ripe strawberries, her skin like silk. He was overwhelmed.

"I wish I had the guts to make a choice I won't regret," she said. "But you make me weak. He makes me weak. I don't know what to do."

A moment passed and she felt him behind her, pressing into her. His lips were on her shoulder blades; he grasped her upper arms. "Nyota, if it were up to me, you would already be mine…I am beside myself. I lose my sense of reason and judgment when it comes to you. I cannot control your affect on me nor my response to you. I fear that the only logical conclusion is for you to bond with me." He buried his face in her neck and emitted a soft growl.

"Spock," she said, her breathing ragged.

His hands came around her to pull her against him. She moaned. He cupped her breasts and ran his thumbs over her nipples, which sprang up like weeds after rain. "I do not know when I lost myself over you, only that I did. You are intoxicating. I want you more than I want to breathe. That is illogical, but it _is_. I do not pretend to comprehend the depth of my desire for you." He growled again and she whimpered; it was such a sexy sound coming from him.

Uhura sucked in her breath. For him to grab her like that, press into her and reveal his complete arousal spoke volumes about his desire for her. As if she didn't know or reciprocate it. Once again, the touch of his hands was electric. "Spock," she moaned. "Please don't do this to me…" She uttered the same words to Kirk the night before. Perhaps making things interesting also made them difficult. Both men were so hot, they were like a binary star system and she was a mere planet caught between them. If they succeeded in sucking her in, she would be ripped apart by their gravitational forces. Like right now.

"Oh my goodness," she moaned, sinking into him, loving the feel of him. He was hot and strong, like a good cup of tea. "Oh god, Spock…_oh god_…"

He continued to thumb her nipples and kiss her neck, growling softly. Uhura tried so very hard to resist him, but her body betrayed her again. Her resolve was almost gone. "Spock, I do not want to sleep with you or with the captain without knowing which of you I will choose…and you are making it hard for me. I'm human, for Pete's sake. How can I resist you?"

"It is already hard for me, Nyota, for I am half-human. And I do not intend for you to resist me. Not anymore."

She inhaled sharply. He was right. Her nipples were tight and sensitive under his touch. He turned her around and pressed his forehead against hers. Again she was treated to a knee-weakening mental blast of a Vulcan in love. He kissed her and lifted her onto the console. She could do nothing but let him. Uhura kissed him back, throwing her arms around him as he devoured her lips. He did that tongue thing again and she actually felt the wetness seep down the inside of her thighs.

He let her up to take a breath. There was a look in his eyes that she did not recognize. She stared at him, breathing hard. "That tongue thing…is _unbelievable_…!" She nearly melted on the console.

Spock slid his arms around her, drawing her close and kissed her again. His need was fierce, intense and unrestrained now. He was outside of himself.

'_Put aside logic. Do what feels right.'_ Doing _this_ to her felt right.

A moment or two later, her back was against the console and she could not suppress her excitement. Spock was tenderly biting her nipples through the fabric of her uniform and she felt it from her hair follicles down to her toenails. He slid a hand under her skirt and pressed it against her damp panties. One of his fingers brushed up against her swollen clitoris and she flinched so hard that she squeezed her thighs together, gripping him. The growl that escaped him did nothing to cool her ardor. His face was pressed into her stomach and she saw his pleading to let him experience her, to allow him to take her. His fingers sent tremors through her body, begging her to let him consume her. She gave in, much as she had last night. Uhura was out of control. This was out of control. The whole thing was out of control.

"Yesssss…" was all she could manage. He sat in her chair and lifted her skirt. A second or so later, she heard him say "…_fascinating_…" Then he said no more. She quickly learned that he had a fantastically long tongue and he liked to nibble. The sensation of that was sublime. This time, she did melt on the console, and just the same as last night, it happened in barely a minute. She vaguely wondered if her station was going to short-circuit. She already had.

The sounds that escaped her were nothing but fuel for his own desire and encouragement to taste her as intensely as he could. She hissed and arched her back when he hit her spot, sliding down the console and allowing him to burrow between her thighs. He pulled her legs over his shoulders and arched an arm around her thigh so he could part her labia and go deep.

She started keening, unable to keep silent. She was nothing but a quivering mass of nerves and his mouth was on the synapse. He played her like an instrument. Uhura was outside of time, outside of space, barely comprehending that Spock was enjoying this as much as she was. "_Aaaarrrrrgh_!" she screamed, nearly erupting into spasms when she climaxed again. Was that the second? The third? She lost count.

"Nyota," he murmured, but knew she could not hear him. Kirk had been absolutely right; Spock had been craving to know what she tasted like and all he wanted was more. He wanted everything she had and he would take it if she let him. He found that he was avaricious. Kirk would do well to get out of his way. Their amicable rivalry was over. It was time to lay claim to Uhura. He was going to do it if she couldn't. He definitely intended to do it before Kirk did.

He remained seated, caressing her thighs as she came down from her peak. Uhura trembled, blinking, coming back to reality, trying to get her bearings. She could only imagine how she looked, back on the console, Spock's head between her legs, her knees in the air and her legs over his shoulders. She looked down to see him still there, kissing the insides of her thighs, licking up the last few drops. He moved his head back and forth, as if he were covering himself with her scent and her taste. She tried to lower her legs. To her surprise, he pushed her dress up to kiss her stomach and her navel. He gently scratched her belly and slipped his fingers underneath her bra, finding her nipples and pinching them. She gasped again. How absolutely freaking erotic! There were certainly a lot of delights hidden under his stoic exterior. The man's tongue should be on display in a museum or have its own chapter in the _Kama Sutra_.

"Spock..." Why she did not scream his name was beyond her.

Her dress was methodically moving up. Her panties were already gone. She didn't even know when he removed them. If he got her dress off, it was only a matter of time before he got everything else. She would give it freely if he got that far. She had to stop him because he was determined to get that far.

"Spock, please…not here. Stop." She grabbed his wrist. "Please, we have to stop."

He raised his head from her belly, staring at her. There was an uninhibited wildness in his eyes. His nostrils were flaring and his cheeks were wet. Her smell was all over him. Uhura wasn't sure if she should have stopped him. He didn't look happy about it.

"We can't—I can't…I shouldn't have let it get this far. I'm sorry. I want…oh god…I need to get my head right. Please, please let me get up."

He stood up and straightened her clothes, then helped her off the console. Uhura smoothed her hair and took several deep breaths. Spock went to a side cabinet and retrieved a cloth and a sprayer. He cleaned and wiped down Uhura's console to remove the evidence of their episode, then disposed of the cloth. She put her boots on, put away her items, threw the sucker in the trash and shut down the program she had been working on. She was going to her room. She was not fit for anything else, and was relieved that her time in the comm lab had been her time. Was he going to follow her? If he was, she wasn't going to resist him. She was going to let him have her. Uhura vaguely wondered what happened to her panties, but could not muster enough bravery to ask him about them. She didn't see them on the console or the floor.

She stood in front of him. He unlocked the door. She looked at him. "I'm sorry."

"I do not understand why are you apologizing, Lieutenant."

"For letting things get out of hand like that."

He raised an eyebrow. "Fascinating. I was under the distinct impression that you were giving me control."

She blushed. "I know. I was. I won't do that again."

He stared at her. "I hope that is not the case, Lieutenant. I found that quite stimulating and satisfying. You are magnificent." He had his final answer to all five of his sensory questions and he merely wanted more. Now he wanted to know how it felt to be sheathed within her, to have her legs wrapped around him, to experience the feel of her nipples in his mouth. What it would feel like to have her underneath him, his face buried in her hair.

Uhura closed her eyes. Spock opened the door. She walked out ahead of him, concentrating solely on getting back to her quarters. Spock remained behind a moment, taking in everything that just transpired. She was so very sweet, so very warm, and so very soft. Had she not stopped him, he could have easily taken her. He could have spent more time pleasuring her. It was gratifying to have her that way; it was an appeal to his deep Vulcan nature to mark her like that. If she was not bonded to him by the time of his impending pon farr, Spock would not be able to leave her be. Even if she chose to be with Kirk, it wouldn't matter because she was going to be _his_. If the captain got in his way at that time, then so be it.

He left the lab and was headed towards his own quarters when he came upon Kirk.

"Commander, a word."

Spock stopped in front of him. "Yes, Captain?"

The captain sniffed, looked back at the door to the communications lab, and then back at Spock. "When you report back to the bridge this evening, I want you to give me a thorough analysis of all of the inhabitants of this planet we will be visiting. I am not sure about this particular assignment and I want to be thoroughly prepared."

"Yes, sir." Spock's face was impassive. But he knew Kirk could smell Uhura all over him. He put his hands behind his back and calmly met the captain's intense look.

They stared at each other for several moments. "Okay," Kirk said, nodding his head. "Okay."

"I would inquire what you are referring to, sir."

"I can smell her all over you. _That's_ what I'm referring to."

Spock merely raised an eyebrow. "There are no limits."

"You realize playtime is over, Spock?"

"I was unaware that I was involved in playtime."

"Quit acting dumb. I mean our shared interest. I'm not playing around anymore. I want her and she's going to be mine."

"Ah," he said, licking his lips. "I beg to differ, and may I say, Jim, that _I_ was never playing."

"Indeed," Kirk said. "Nor was I. But things have escalated and I'm no longer interested in being fair. Especially knowing that you aren't."

"That is quite hypocritical, sir. I do believe you said to me that you inserted your finger into something hot. I knew exactly what you were referring to. You are not playing fair either. You must realize, Captain, that this has been serious from the beginning. Lieutenant Uhura is conflicted as to which of us she will choose. I am merely going to make her choose me."

"Bullshit you are. I'll be damned if you get that chance."

Spock tilted his head and raised his eyebrow. "What makes you think that I have not already done so?"

Kirk glared at him. "Because she would have told me last night. But that's fine. That's okay. I'm going to let you think what you like. May the best man win."

"Agreed, Captain."

* * *

Uhura was in the shower and only water would do. Sonic showers were insufficient in cooling her off. She could not believe that she had allowed Spock to…that he had actually done that in the communications lab, right there on her console. How close she had been to letting him make love to her? If she had not stopped him, he would not have stopped. The images, the memory, the feel of his heat against her…How would she ever be able to sit at her station again without thinking about that? How could she even face Kirk after letting Spock have her like that? Uhura would do well to resign her post and return to the bowels of the ship if she was going to try to keep away from Spock. She had the feeling, however, that he would find her no matter where she went. She really didn't want to stay away from him. He was appealing as all hell and to know he could be like _that._..

But she felt the same way last night after dinner with the captain. She thought that she couldn't look at Spock after she had so easily allowed Kirk to get his hands under her dress and get her off like that. How easy it would have been for the captain to pick her up, sit her on the table and devour her like he wanted to. To take her to bed like he wanted to. Like she had wanted him to. She wished she had let him. She wished she had let Spock. She wished she didn't have to choose. To have one and not the other...? Could she be with one and mess around with the other? Definitely not. She wasn't that kind of woman, and besides it might lead to mutiny, murder, or any of those things. She did not discount that they felt that strongly for her.

Teasing them had been a very bad idea, but it had been her decision to do it. She got out of the shower and wrapped herself in her robe. Then she lay on her bed. It was up to her what to do next and she knew what it had to be. She was going to have to choose, and soon. Otherwise, her mandate of not having sex with either man was out of the window and she was going to sleep with either of them or both of them. If there was a next "date" with either man, and there was no reason to think it wouldn't be, she knew she was going to let the wall come tumbling down. It was all a matter of which man got to her first. There was no way her defenses were strong enough to resist Spock or Kirk's raw power and sensuality. There was no way she was strong enough. There was just no way. But she couldn't choose…it was too hard. How would she survive this?

There was only one thing to do.

_to be continued... _


	12. Amigosa, part 1

XII: Amigosa; part 1

They arrived at Amigosa V and were awaiting the reports of the scouts. Kirk Spock and said, "Prepare an away team. Make sure we have medical and security officials included. We will be ready to beam down as soon as we receive word from the scouts."

"Yes, Captain."

Spock went to his console. Kirk went up to Uhura. "Lt. Uhura, please meet me in my ready room. Mr. Spock, please join us. Sulu, you have the conn."

"Yes, sir."

She got up and followed him. Spock followed her. Once inside, he sat behind his desk and eyed her calmly. "I want you to remain on board."

"What? Why? I don't understand, sir!"

Spock looked at Kirk. "That is illogical, Captain. Lt. Uhura is the translator. The Amigosians do not speak in any standard Federation idiom that I am aware of. She has analyzed the language. She must be on the away team to ensure that negotiations are smooth."

"Objection duly noted," Kirk said, not even looking at Spock. He stared at Uhura, a light in his eyes. "I will not order you—not yet—but I want you to consider remaining on board the _Enterprise_."

"Sir, I—"

"I have a bad feeling about this," he said. "My gut tells me that you are safer on board the ship."

"But that is illogical, Captain," Spock said. "None of the other linguists are even remotely prepared to translate for you."

Uhura cleared her throat. "Sir, may I speak freely?"

"Sure."

"I have logged many hours in the comm lab researching and translating this language in order to be an effective communicator for Starfleet and for you. It is not fair for you to disregard that. I can take care of myself!"

"I know that," Kirk said. "But I don't want you in harm's way."

"Why do you think I will be in danger?"

"Yes," Spock said. "Why do you think that? They requested our presence."

"Oh, I don't know," Kirk said, glaring at Spock. "I guess the mere fact of women being outnumbered and considered as valuable strikes me as dangerous. Maybe _you_ haven't noticed, Commander, but Lt. Uhura is a woman. I don't like the idea of my chief xenolinguist put in a situation like that. I cannot say specifically why it bothers me; only that it does. I don't like the idea of any female in this crew in a situation like that."

Spock countered. "Captain, I am quite aware of Lieutenant Uhura's gender. If there are no facts to support your hypothesis, then I do not see why the lieutenant cannot be a part of the away team. There will be other female officers on the away team. I think that you are discriminating against the women of this crew."

"Yes!" Uhura said. "That's quite sexist, Captain!"

"Lieutenant, watch your tone."

"I apologize, Captain." She was furious, however.

Kirk glared at Spock. "Have you _ever_ had a hunch, Spock?"

Spock stared at him. "Hunches are an emotional response; therefore they are illogical."

Kirk looked at Uhura. "It figures."

Uhura glared at him, anger flashing in her eyes. "Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Yes. Go ahead."

"Jim, if you are doing this out of some form of misplaced machismo, then I think you are being foolish!"

Kirk's expression towards Uhura softened. "If my misplaced machismo keeps you safe, then I don't care what you think. I have a bad feeling about this." His voice lowered as he stared into her eyes. "You know how I feel about you. I don't want anything to happen to you. I want you to decide, but I will not order you."

"What if what I want to do is to go? I have earned it!"

Kirk turned to Spock. "You have researched this culture fully?"

"I have to the extent that the records allow. There are no instances to illustrate that the Amigosians have been a danger to any other race. And the lieutenant will not be alone, Captain. We will be with her, as well as Dr. McCoy and several other security officers. I conclude that she will be quite safe in our presence."

"All right, Commander. I'm going to trust you on this." Kirk said. "You may be on the away team, Lieutenant."

"Thank you, sir." Her anger cooled.

Kirk turned to Spock. "If something should happen to her on this visit, I will hold you responsible and I will do everything in my power to stomp the living shit out of you."

Spock raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. "An interesting premise, as I do not think you will have that chance, Captain. I would remind you that you are not the only male on this ship who has feelings for Lt. Uhura. I too, want her safe. You are not the only one who will defend her honor. She will _not_ be harmed. She is a trained Starfleet officer. You are being most unfair, and might I add, primitive—not to allow her to fulfill her duty."

Kirk stepped closer to Spock. Uhura wisely got between them and placed a hand on each man's chest. She swallowed. The testosterone permeated Kirk's office. "I will be fine, gentlemen. I know how to protect myself. Thank you for your concern."

They didn't move. Uhura could feel Kirk's heart rate increase. He was bristling. Spock remained impassive. She groaned. "This is exactly what I was trying to prevent. I don't know what I was thinking! Listen," she said, pushing them. "Listen to me!"

It took a minute to get both men to relax enough to step away from each other. Kirk and Spock looked at her.

"I'm going to need to be left alone for the next few days. I need to make a decision about this whole thing and I can't, not when I am prone to losing my head around either of you, and you two engaged in a pissing contest. Please understand."

"That is logical," Spock said. "Though, Lieutenant, if you would clarify what you mean by a pissing contest?"

She looked at Spock. "Commander, this whole rivalry with you and the captain over who's going to be the first one to sleep with me is a pissing contest. That prehistoric competition you were describing for me."

"I beg to differ, Lt. Uhura. I assure you I am not engaged in any such opposition for the objective of simply mating with you. I believe I have been quite clear in what I want from you."

"I have as well," Kirk said. "But if that is what you think, allow me to convince you otherwise."

She put up a hand. "I know what you want. However, we have a mission to accomplish. And I ask that the both of you leave me alone. I need time to think."

"That is logical, Nyota," Spock said.

"Fine," Kirk said. "When we leave this place, you can be by yourself for as long as you need to be. Until then, you will not be. I hope that I've made myself clear."

"Certainly, Captain. I understand."

* * *

Uhura was in her quarters, getting ready for the away team. She didn't know whether to be irritated with her captain or touched by his concern for her protection. She couldn't be mad that he wanted her safe. Spock had said that she should choose the one who would love her and protect her. But Spock was likely to do the same thing. She did not think for one second that he would want her in any danger. That didn't make her choice any easier.

She reached into her drawer and pulled out a Velcro garter. When she first spoke of joining Starfleet, her father insisted that she learn basic survival tactics. He told her that he would not be able to sleep if he did not properly prepare his daughter for a career where there was unknown danger. He taught her how to use a knife, a staff and trained her in rudimentary martial arts. She improved her skills after getting accepted into the Academy.

She fastened the garter around her upper thigh and inserted a four-inch blade into the casing. Even though she would be armed with a phaser and a communicator, the hidden knife was another security measure. It was good to be prepared. She seldom had to worry about strapping up for away team missions, but Kirk's apprehension for her safety made her reconsider. As an afterthought, she slipped her music clip into the band of the garter. If they remained on the planet for the evening, she was going to entertain herself with music and not with thoughts of really great sex with her captain or her commander. Bad enough she did that on a nightly basis. She was, however, regretting that she had not been able to dance in over a week. She was stiff and tense.

Her door chime sounded. She turned to see the captain entering her quarters. Vaguely, she wondered if anyone else had seen him coming to her rooms.

"Lt. Uhura?"

"I'll be out in a moment, sir." She smoothed her skirt, making sure the garter was hidden, then walked out of the room. He had one of her newly-delivered pink roses in his hand.

"Yes sir?"

He stroked the rose petals. "I want you to know that I _do_ care what you think; what you think does matter, and I didn't mean to be so callous. However, there are times when I'm going to need you not to question my decisions. I understand that you have worked tirelessly in preparing for this mission and my request caught you off guard."

Kirk stepped closer to her until they were inches apart. "But I will not explain nor justify my desire that you remain unharmed. I have a bad feeling about the Amigosians. As you know, my instincts have never led me astray and there is no reason for me not to trust them now. You cannot be upset that I want to protect you."

"I understand, Captain. And I thank you for your concern."

He cupped her face. "You don't have to be so distant, Nyota. Are you still angry with me?"

"No sir. It's just that…you exasperate me so. I want to do my job."

"I know that, and I acknowledge that you do it better than anyone else in Starfleet. But let's make sure we are on the same page. I don't know what will occur once we beam down. I want you by my side at all times. I know you can take care of yourself, but I need to take care of you myself."

He ran his thumb over her lips. "Lest we forget that I'm trying to win your heart."

She closed her eyes as he traced her lips, which parted of their own accord. "How could I forget?"

"I know things have been really intense on both ends," he said. "It can't be helped; Spock and I are both strong-willed individuals, but I want you to know, to believe me when I tell you that even though nothing would please me more than to be intimate with you, sex isn't all I want from you. I've not touched another woman since I first put my heart out there for you. When this mission is done, Spock and I will give you all the time you need." Breathing heavily, he continued rubbing her lips. Uhura opened her mouth—why, she did not know—and he slipped the tip of his thumb inside. She closed her eyes—and her mouth—around his thumb.

Kirk closed his eyes and groaned. "Nyota, you unman me. I don't know how I can get anything done when you're around. Don't do this to me now, not when I can't do anything about it."

She pulled away, kissing the tip. "I don't even know why I did that, but you manage well enough, Captain." It was becoming increasingly hard to focus whenever he was around her. How either of them managed to do so was a credit to their Starfleet training.

He kissed her and abruptly put one hand on her ass and pressed her into him. She squeaked, slipped her arms around him and returned the kiss. She was not about to lie or deny; the man could kiss and it felt good to be pressed against him like that. He was fire. The kiss was slow and intense. He took his time with her mouth, sampling it with his tongue, releasing her lips with a soft _plop_! She looked at him. He looked at her.

A moment later, she pulled away and stepped away from him.

"No," he moaned. "No, don't…"

"I must, Captain. It's time to go. I will meet you on the transporter pad in five minutes, sir."

He sighed. "All right, Lieutenant."

* * *

The nine members of the away team beamed to the surface of Amigosa. It included Uhura, the captain, the commander, Dr. McCoy, nurse Brenda, a medical assistant named Didi, and three security officials: Cupcake, a six foot five inch Klingon named Tiny, and a Bajoran named Dez. Once they landed on the planet, in a clearing overlooking a bubbling stream, Uhura gasped. Spock informed them that the planet was lush and green, but she hadn't realized how beautiful it would be. It was twilight when they arrived, and two of Amigosa's three moons were bright and luminous. She could hear the rush of water and was in awe over the azure sky.

Didi and Brenda nodded their heads. "Nice," Didi said. "If you're looking for a romantic spot, boys, you found it." Uhura agreed, nodding back at Didi and Brenda. It was certainly that.

"The reports from the scouts said that the planet was quite safe and the initial contact with the Amigosians were amicable, Captain," Spock said. "They are waiting for us a few meters ahead."

"At any rate, set phasers to stun," Kirk ordered.

The away team began following the path. The security officials took their places behind the rest of the officers. Uhura stood next to Brenda. When Uhura saw the Amigosians for the first time, it took her breath away. She heard either Didi or Dez gasp. It was probably Didi, as ship scuttlebutt claimed that Dez preferred women, specifically Betazoids.

Brenda whispered to her, "Pinch me. Tell me this isn't real."

Uhura pinched her but said, "This is very real."

The Amigosians were tall beings with striking hair and skin, broad shouldered and well-defined muscles. They were clad in loincloth and animal skins. They were beautiful and quite fine. Gaila and Irish would have lost their minds.

Didi sighed, "They are gorgeous."

Brenda sighed. "Those are trees I don't mind climbing."

Kirk heard Uhura's soft moan, "Oh my goodness…"

Uhura blinked. There were four of them. She got her bearings and went to stand by the captain.

The apparent leader stepped forward and bowed from the waist. He was deeply tanned with silky sable-colored hair tied back with a leather strap. His eyes were the same color as his hair. He looked at Uhura and spoke in an unfamiliar tongue laced with strong sibilants, glottal stops and alveolar approximants.

Uhura translated easily. "You are from the Federation. Greetings. I am Ishtar. Welcome to our world."

Kirk and the others bowed in return. "Greet him on our behalf, please."

She did so. Then Ishtar focused his attention on Uhura. "_Si'lak thow amun do si'lah_."

She blushed. Kirk looked at her. "What did he say?"

"He asked me if I was a goddess."

Kirk bristled, but whispered. "He can say what he likes, as long as he doesn't touch you."

"You're so possessive all of a sudden, Captain."

"I told you that I have a hunch. His comments to you only make me suspect him further."

Ishtar then stared at the other women, bowing deeply. "_M'yn sh'ki."_

Uhura laughed. "He said we were all attractive. Meaning us girls."

Brenda, behind her, whispered, "So is he. They don't make them like this at Starfleet. God, _why_?"

Ishtar and the others began to walk and the away team followed. Spock and McCoy had their tricorders out, examining the foliage as they traveled behind the giant beings. Uhura was staring at the buttocks of two of the Amigosians: one chocolate brown and the other caramel. She couldn't help it. They were curved, high and hard. In her mind, she could hear Irish and Gaila swooning. She knew that Brenda was staring as well.

Kirk watched Uhura watch the humanoid, amused. "See something you like, Lieutenant?" he whispered.

"Leave me alone, Skippy!" she hissed.

He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "I'd love for you to call me that when I have your legs in the air and you in my mouth. It would be such a turn-on."

She blushed in spite of herself as the image formed in her mind. She recalled the memory of riding Kirk's hand, climaxing in under a minute. Then she sighed as she recalled the memory of Spock having just that way less than twenty-four hours ago. The two of them had turned her into such a whore. Secretly, she didn't mind.

"You can be such a prick," she whispered back, surreptitiously glad they were having a snappy exchange.

"I want to be _your_ prick," he teased.

She suppressed a groan, hoping no one heard him. "I hate you. I really really hate you."

"Sure you do," he whispered. "I know you do. But I remember the other night."

Uhura rolled her eyes and sighed. "Please, don't remind me."

Kirk chuckled. "I don't have to. I know you remember it too."

Uhura sighed again, feeling her face go hot.

The Amigosians led them to their settlement. Kirk took a good look around and surmised that there were about a hundred individuals, all of them male. He wondered what the females look like, and if they would be as attractive as the males.

Kirk and the away team were led to a dwelling made of logs. Inside, there was a spread of food—fruits and vegetables, meats and flatbreads. He heard McCoy groan. Likely the doctor did not want to partake of the food, which looked pretty tasty. Bones could be a spoilsport at times.

"I don't know why you're groaning, Bones. The scouts reported that everything was fine."

"Still, Captain. I prefer to check these things myself."

Kirk sighed. "Uhura, please inform Ishtar that it is our custom to check foreign foods before we eat."

She did so. Ishtar nodded and bowed, sweeping his arm over the table. _"M'yim alack sh'teen a loh agah. Di' souh ma'lak a tho!"_

"Do as your custom requires, Captain. You are welcome here. Eat and enjoy."

Spock and McCoy went to analyze the food. Ishtar bowed again in Uhura's direction, took her hand and rubbed her fingers. _"Amun do si'lah, ech'tow sh'mi do'laih."_

Brenda whispered in her ear. "Is he flirting with you?"

Uhura smiled at the Amigosian leader. _"N'roem mah." _She shook her head. Then Ishtar turned and asked Brenda the same thing. Brenda beamed, but shook her head.

Spock turned away from the food and stared at the sight. Kirk glared. "What did he say, Lieutenant?"

"Perhaps you might choose to remain among us?"

"And I trust your answer was no," Spock said.

"Of course," she said. "I've got all I can handle on the _Enterprise_."

McCoy snorted.

Kirk stepped closer to Uhura. "If he hits on you one more time, I'm sending you back to the ship."

"That's ridiculous, sir. You need me here."

"I already told you about this, Lieutenant."

Spock came over. "The analysis of the food reveals there are neither contaminants nor additives that could harm us. McCoy's water sample analysis is the same as mine. We can safely partake of the meal."

"_Di' souh ma'lak a tho!" _Ishtar bowed again and swept his arm. "_I deo l'igh s'jut ai'min l'ah so'ure di michim el la'teine."_

Uhura looked at her captain. "Eat and enjoy. We will show you to your quarters when you are done. Negotiations can begin tomorrow."

"We're staying down here tonight, Captain?" Cupcake asked.

"Yes," Kirk said. "It will help negotiations if we show a measure of trust."

Kirk nodded and then bowed at Ishtar. Spock did the same. Ishtar and his fellow comrades left them in the longhouse.

Kirk immediately started piling food onto a plate and the security and medical staff followed. Spock carefully selected some fruits and vegetables and bread for Uhura to eat, and then prepared his own plate. She smiled at him and sat down. Then Kirk plopped a plate down in front of her.

"I already have a plate, sir. Commander Spock was kind enough to see to it."

"Just in case you want more, Lieutenant." Then, so not to show favoritism, he plopped another large plate in front of Didi, Dez and Brenda.

Uhura had to smile. It was so strange how different Kirk and Spock were, to the point that they had singular ways of showing her the same thing. Maybe it wasn't strange, just opposite ends of the sexy man spectrum.

She took a breath. '_On a mission; can't think about men or sex or anything like that…not now!'_

Brenda sat next to McCoy, across from Didi and next to Dez. Uhura got up and sat next to Didi. She spent enough time around men and she wanted a chance to catch up with the ladies. Brenda and Didi started gushing about the inhabitants of the planets as only females could. Dez made random comments and Uhura laughed at the commentary.

Spock brought her a goblet of water. Then he sat with the men.

Kirk said, "So what do you think, Commander?"

"So far, they have been hospitable. I see no reason for concern."

"Apparently, you haven't seen how that jerk has been falling all over Lt. Uhura."

"I do not see why he should not, Captain. She is an appealing woman; desirable to any male species. And if my observations are correct, he has also been attentive to the other females in the away team."

McCoy snorted again. "Funny that I haven't seen any of their women, unless they look like the men."

"That makes me nervous," Kirk said. "Lt. Uhura, could you come here for a moment, please?"

"Yes sir." She got up and went over to sit beside him.

"I reiterate my earlier orders. You are to remain at my side at all times. If a situation arises where that cannot be the case, you are ordered to stay with Commander Spock or Dr. McCoy. The security team will be wherever you are."

"You're a caveman," McCoy said.

"Whatever," Kirk retorted, biting into a luscious green apple.

Ishtar did not return to escort them to their quarters. Instead, another Amigosian, this one blond and gold, walked them over to a series of small huts. He introduced himself as Lan'dhar, and he too, made a pass at Lt. Uhura. Then he made one at Didi.

McCoy raised his eyebrows. "They aren't shy, are they? How many times has she been hit on?"

"I don't care what they _say_, just as long as they don't _do_ anything." Kirk said.

Uhura shook her head. Either Kirk was putting up a front or he really was jealous. She made a note to ask him about it. Lan'dhar stopped in front of two adjacent huts. "_Elek t'hem a qui'ha tor se lah_." He swept his arm in the direction of the huts.

Uhura translated. "This is where you will reside for the night. They are very comfortable."

Kirk nodded and bowed again. "Thank you for your hospitality."

Uhura nodded. "_S'lem hak tow_."

Lan'dhar bowed deeply, and then reached for her hand. He touched her fingers to his lips. _"M'yam selak ur'hun me dai."_

Uhura smiled and shook her head. _"N'roem mah." _

Lan'dhar bowed deeply and left them.

Spock looked intently at the lieutenant. "What did he say to you?"

Uhura sighed. "He asked me to remain behind as his woman when this is over."

Brenda whispered, "Lucky heifer."

Kirk clenched. He did not like this at all. She was getting hit on too many times. He was irritated. McCoy, ever the realist, looked at the huts. "I guess we're to split up?"

"It would appear so," Spock replied.

Kirk looked at his away team. Spock leaned over. "Under normal circumstances, I would suggest that all the females share one hut."

"Except that you've got a hunch about that, too."

"I apologize, Captain. I do not have hunches. I am merely stating that it would be safer if we split up the females. If I take your…hunch…into account, it is preferable that the women are not together as to provide an easy target. Not that I do not trust the skill of our female security."

"I don't care how you split them, Spock. I want Uhura with me. I know she's safe if she's with me."

Spock raised an eyebrow. Kirk glared at him. "Do we understand each other?"

"Certainly, Captain."

Uhura found herself sharing at hut with Brenda, Kirk and Spock. Didi, Dez, McCoy, Tiny and Cupcake took the other hut. Not long after they split up, McCoy poked his head into their cabin to announce that he was going to examine the surrounding foliage. Kirk agreed, as it made sense to catalogue what resources lay on this lush green planet. He instructed Cupcake to go with McCoy.

Inside the hut, there was a small fire pit in the middle of the room, and there was a fire going. There was a vent in the ceiling. In one corner of the hut, there was a pile of animal skins. In another corner was a small table laden with fruit and water. It was actually rather cozy.

"One gets the impression that they prepared well for our particular visit," Spock said. "Fascinating."

Brenda, Kirk and Spock entered and closed the door. Uhura suddenly realized who she was rooming with. She looked at them. "Maybe it's best that I swap with Didi."

"Why?" Brenda asked. "I was hoping we could chat; I haven't talked to you in a dog's age."

"You'll do no such thing." Kirk said. He did not look at Brenda.

"I agree, Lieutenant. As the official translator, you are to remain with the captain."

She sighed and walked over to the fruit table. Brenda gave Kirk a heated look, and then smiled. Spock observed her and raised an eyebrow in Kirk's direction. Kirk pretended not to notice Brenda's open invitation. He had not been with her in months.

Spock went to examine the animal skins. "I hereby object to using these skins for my comfort."

"Objection noted," Kirk said. "You can sleep on the floor."

Spock raised an eyebrow. "I shall meditate instead. At any rate, I do not think there are enough skins for each of you to have your own. You will need one to provide sufficient cushion and one for covering. You shall have to share."

Brenda smiled seductively at Kirk, who didn't acknowledge her. "Then that settles it. Brenda, you and Uhura will take one side of the room and Spock and I will take the other." He maintained a stoic expression, but he was annoyed. Brenda was practically initiating sex with him and he wasn't interested. He would have rather slept with Uhura, but…oh well.

"Captain, may I speak with you outside for a moment," Brenda said. Kirk nodded, then got up and followed her out. Spock watched them go, raising the eyebrow again.

He began to arrange the skins. Uhura took a long drink of water and a piece of fruit. It was what it was. She bit into the fruit, liking the way it burst in her mouth. It had the consistency and taste of mango, but it contained small apple-like seeds. The juice ran down her cheeks and chin, and she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She then sat on one of the animal skins, taking up one side and removed her boots. She removed her hair elastic and lay down, munching.

Uhura finished the fruit and tossed the seeds into the fire. She closed her eyes for a moment, and then felt something cool and wet against her face. She opened her eyes. Spock was tenderly wiping the juice from around her mouth with a piece of cloth.

"Was it delicious?" he asked.

"It was," she said. "Like mango, except for the seeds and the skin. The skin is the same as that of a Terran peach. You should try it; I think you'll like it."

"Perhaps I will tomorrow." Spock stared into her eyes, dabbing her lips with the damp cloth longer than was necessary. Uhura gazed back at him, getting lost in the darkness of his eyes, the shape of his brows, and the curve of his lips. He really was a beautiful man; two cultures fused together at their finest. Spock continued rubbing her lips even after her face was clean. Uhura allowed him this, while vaguely wondering what Brenda and Kirk were talking about.

*

They were about ten feet from the hut, standing near a copse of trees. Brenda put her arms around him.

"No," he said. "Not now, Brenda."

"You haven't been with me in months, Jim. Come on, we've got time, space, a nice atmosphere, and I'm horny for you…why not?"

"Brenda, have you wondered why you haven't seen me in so long?"

"I know you've been busy, but you've always had needs." Brazenly, she went for his fly. He grabbed her hand.

"I'll say this once: I won't be sleeping with you anymore. Let it go."

"You're fucking someone else, then?"

"If I am or am not is none of your business, and may I remind you that I'm the captain?"

"You were the captain when I was sucking you off; what makes now so different? Who is it, Jim?"

"No one, Brenda. Please leave me alone and go back to the cabin." He didn't need this now.

She stepped back and looked at him. "You have fucked half of the women on the _Enterprise_ at least once, and everyone knows it. We were doing it on a regular basis and you just stopped. I haven't heard a whiff about who else you're laying the pipe to, so I gotta know if you've gone to bat for the other team. Because I for damn sure know that you're not celibate."

"Why is it your concern if I am or not? Answer that and then let that be the end of this."

Brenda rolled her eyes towards the sky. Kirk glared at her. "I know you don't have feelings for me."

"Why wouldn't I? You're a great guy."

He shook his head. "You mistook sex for love? Are you really that naive? All that was ever between us was sex. I never promised you anything other than an orgasm, which I know you got. Leave it alone, Brenda. I'm ordering you to let this go."

She glared at him, two pink splotches on her face. "Aye, Captain." She turned away.

He walked away to give her a moment to cool off, then waved an arm. "Come on. It's not safe for you to be out here alone."

"I'm fine," she snapped.

"Brenda?" His tone was a warning.

She turned and walked stiffly towards the cabin. Kirk sighed and followed her back in. He had brought this on himself.

*

Uhura was lying on one of the animal skins. Spock sat on the floor beside her. They were engaged in deep conversation when Kirk and Brenda came back in. She turned towards the door, not moving from her spot. Spock remained where he was, but he observed the expression on Brenda's face and the look of annoyance on Kirk's. Whatever was said wasn't pleasant. Spock deduced that McCoy's new chief nurse was one of the captain's many little indiscretions, one which had obviously come to an end.

"Brenda, are you all right?" Uhura asked. "Your face is red." She got up and went to get one of the cloths from the corner and wet it. Then she handed it to Brenda, who took it and began to wipe her face. Uhura shot a glare at Kirk, who shrugged. She put her arm around Brenda.

"Spock," he said. "Come on, we're bunking together."

"If you would clarify, Captain?"

"You're sharing this animal skin with me and leaving the ladies to that one. Come on."

"Captain, it does not appear that the ladies are ready to retire for the night."

"They are," he said.

Spock raised an eyebrow and sat next to the reclining Kirk. He looked at him. "Fascinating."

"What's so fascinating about this?" Kirk said. "You know you wanted to get her by yourself."

"I wanted no such thing, Captain, as it would be inappropriate. We are on a mission."

Kirk sighed. "Good night, Spock." He turned over and tried to go to sleep. A few minutes later, Brenda got up and left the cabin. Kirk sat up.

"Where is she going?" Kirk asked, looking at Uhura. A moment later, he heard the door to the other hut open and close.

Uhura glared at him. "Didi is her best friend. Whatever you said to her upset her to the point of tears."

He sighed and lay back, resting his head in his hands. "It was not my intent to make her cry."

Uhura sighed. She wasn't stupid. "I understand, Captain. Good night."

She lay down on her animal skin and tried to focus on the flames from the fire. It was as clear as day that Kirk had been sleeping with Brenda; for how long, she could not have said, but she did know it was over. Was it recent? Or had the captain curtailed his extracurricular activities when he declared his feelings for her?

Uhura decided she didn't want to deal with that tonight. She reached for her ear clip, unknowingly revealing her garter to the two men across the way.

"Is that a knife garter on your thigh?" Kirk asked.

She sighed. "Yes sir."

Kirk couldn't help it. "Oh, I _like_ that," he murmured. "That's _so_ hot! You never cease to amaze me."

Spock said, "I was not aware that you carried a knife under your uniform, Lieutenant."

"I don't do it often, but since the captain expressed a desire that I be safe, I decided to wear it. Just in case I lost my phaser. Good night, Captain, Commander." She put her ear clip in place and turned on her music, then turned her back to them. In a few moments, she heard them speaking and decided to turn off the music.

*

Kirk sighed, then sat up, moving so he could put his back against the wall. "Commander Spock, this is getting impossible."

"I agree, Captain. However, I have no suggestions as to how it should be handled. I will say that things will be a lot easier if you just walk away."

"You're out of your Vulcan mind if you think I'm going to walk away from this, from her. _You_ walk away."

"I will not. So, are we to engage in a battle to the death over the lieutenant?"

"Preferably not," Kirk said, absently rubbing his throat. "In spite of this, I value your presence on the _Enterprise_. You are an excellent science officer and admittedly, a foil to my sometimes irrational behavior. I do not want another officer as my second in command."

Uhura could not believe this conversation was taking place. They were actually being civil.

"Thank you, Captain. I find it logical that we continue our working relationship. As was suggested to me, I look forward to the accomplishments we will have and the friendship that will define us."

Kirk nodded. Spock Prime hinted at the same thing in their conversation. He looked at the fire. "Did your older self say anything about _her_ place in that?"

"No," Spock said. "He told me to put aside logic and do what feels right. That is the reason I came back to work on the _Enterprise_."

"And?"

"What also feels right, Captain, is my desire to be with Lieutenant Uhura. I will not walk away from that."

Kirk inhaled. "I have loved that woman for four years. It has taken this long to get her to even notice me, much less reciprocate it. Do you actually think I'm going to give her up?"

Spock tented his fingers. "I would be surprised if you did, Captain. You have never given up on anything. Even the Kobayashi Maru."

Kirk actually blushed.

Spock looked him directly in the eyes. "But, Captain, do you really love her?"

"Do you, Spock?"

"When a Vulcan bonds, it is for life. I would not consider such an arrangement if I did not love her. Love is not something a Vulcan enters into lightly. Emotions run deep within our race, and it is our way to control them using logic. I have learned that love is illogical, yet it is there. I cannot refute or deny that I feel this way for Nyota. I can only speak of my emotions now because my father finally acknowledged his love for my mother. I ask you about your feelings because I am aware of your many intimate relationships with other females, both human and otherwise. Case in point: your obvious imprudence with Nurse Lockhart. In my research, the data suggests that alpha males with such capricious connections are not likely to form permanent relationships. And since I believe that Nyota will accept nothing less than your best, I must know if you really do love her enough to give up that lifestyle."

Kirk sighed. "I told her that I would and I meant it. I have not slept with Brenda in months; ever since I told Nyota that I wanted to be with her. I've never met any woman that would make me want to give up my…extracurricular activities. I would do it for Nyota. What can I tell you, Spock? I'm in love."

Spock nodded. "So what do we do, Captain? "

Kirk gazed into the fire. "I don't know, Commander."

*

Uhura squeezed her eyes shut. She could not believe what she just heard. They were at an impasse, and had arrived there in a cool and logical manner, each acknowledging their feelings as well as each other's. That she was so highly regarded by two powerful men made her woozy. How in the world would she be able to choose between them? How could she be with one and leave the other bereft? Uhura cared enough about both men that she didn't want to hurt either one.

This was going to blow up in her face.

* * *

Sometime in the middle of the night, she stirred from her sleep. To her surprise, she found herself lying between them. Had she moved? Or had they moved? Uhura took a moment to gather herself and realized that they'd moved. She didn't know what to say. She was very warm, and she was admittedly pleased that they went to sleep in such a manner. She felt warm and protected, and it was a marvelous sensation. Uhura moved carefully and quietly, moving Kirk's hand from her hair. She reached for her boots and slipped them on.

"Where are you going?" It was Spock.

"I need to relieve myself. I'm going to step outside."

"I will go with you."

"I'm just going outside—"

"I am going with you, Nyota. The captain has ordered—and I agree with him—that you are not to be left alone. I will give you the privacy you need, but I will be there with you."

She stood up and he stood up. "That cloth you had earlier," she said. "Where did you get it?"

He went over into the corner where the animal skins were and got another one. Quietly, they went outside. Uhura looked around; the compound was eerily quiet. She walked towards a small copse of bushes with the cloth.

"I'm just going behind here, okay. Don't listen, Spock. This is embarrassing enough."

"I find that illogical, Lieutenant," he said as she went behind the bushes. "One must relieve oneself regularly to maintain homeostasis. Every being requires it. There is nothing to be ashamed of."

"I'm a girl, Spock. Typically, we girls maintain the illusion that…we never have to use the bathroom…"

"Fascinating," he said. "Why would a human female do that?"

She did not respond. Spock turned towards the bushes. "Nyota?"

No response. He went around the bush and called her name again. "Lieutenant Uhura?"

She was gone.

_To be continued…_


	13. Amigosa, part 2

**XIII: Amigosa: part 2**

Kirk was furious and frantic. He had known something bad was going to happen on this godforsaken planet. When Spock rushed back into the hut and told him what happened, he shook with rage. But he did not direct it towards his commander; Spock behaved just as he had been ordered. The Amigosians had obviously been waiting for Uhura to be alone enough to kidnap her.

Kirk ran out of the hut to wake the others: To his surprise, Brenda, Dez and Didi were gone. Tiny was dead. McCoy and Cupcake were nowhere to be found. Spock immediately contacted the _Enterprise_ and ordered the entire security detail to beam down to the planet to search for the missing crew members.

They spread out and swept the forest and the compound. The Amigosians were nowhere to be found. The compound was empty. Spock and Kirk found McCoy and Cupcake, who were deep in the woods still taking readings of the plant life. Upon hearing the news of the missing crew members, McCoy groaned and began assisting in the search. He wisely kept his mouth shut. He didn't need to see his commanding officers to know they weren't in a jovial mood; not that Spock ever was. But Kirk was in love with Uhura, and he had openly voiced his concern for her safety prior to beaming down onto the planet. McCoy knew that his friend regretted not ordering her to remain on board the ship.

Spock was quiet, his expression dark. He found a trail from the bush where Uhura had been standing and he tracked it as intensely as a bloodhound. Two meters in, he found her Starfleet-issued panties. He picked them up and balled them in one hand, feeling the rage start to rise but not allowing it to do so. She had obviously been able to kick; there were broken twigs, cracked small tree branches and smashed leaves. Spock was able to make out footprints, but they became less clear as they went deeper into the forest. However, the commander did not swerve from the path. He was going to find her, no matter what it took. Anger was swelling inside of him; he had not experienced such emotion since Nero killed his mother and destroyed Vulcan. He kept his fury at bay by concentrating on finding her. He could not and would not suffer the loss of the only other woman he ever loved. Not now.

Spock was certain that Kirk was going to vent his own fury on his first officer. He had said that if anything happened to Uhura, he was going to hold Spock responsible. But Kirk acknowledged that Spock did what he was supposed to do; that the Amigosians were lying in wait for Uhura to leave the hut. And they would have gotten to her one way or another. Other than standing over her to watch her urinate (which she would NOT have allowed), Spock did everything he was ordered to, even engaging her in conversation.

Kirk had no idea how they had been able to take her away without making a sound. Spock's hearing was impeccable and he had not heard anything, not even a twig snap. Spock told him that they were natives and obviously knew the area well enough to be able to navigate it without making any noise.

The forest got deeper and denser as they continued searching. Kirk was frustrated enough that he wanted to set fire to it and burn the whole thing down; he was so angry. He understood that the whole desire to join the UFP was a front; the Amigosians lured them to the planet to get to the women. Sulu had even suggested it. Had everything gone as planned, Kirk would have sent for the second and third away teams, which had at least eight to nine women as members. But Uhura, Brenda, Dez and Didi were such beauties that the Amigosians could not wait for the others to arrive. He did not want to think of what could happen to them, to her, if they didn't find them. The Amigosians needed women as breeders. He was enraged. He feared for Didi, Dez and Brenda. The very thought of one of those huge bastards putting their hands on them, on Uhura—or worse—Kirk didn't want to see the thought through to the end.

He didn't have to look at his first officer to know that Spock was in a rage. While he would never show it, the most extreme emotions simmered in the Vulcan's heart. Kirk knew this firsthand. He was once the recipient of Spock's ire, he did not want to know what the commander might do if something bad happened to Uhura. He did not know if Spock blamed himself, but he didn't blame him. Kirk knew that Spock would have never deliberately put Uhura in harm's way; he had followed her and was a shrub away while she relieved herself. She had been quietly snatched right in the middle of her relief and her conversation with Spock. He would not have done any better in protecting her.

Hours later, one of the search teams communicated that they found a small group of dwellings hidden in the lush green valley. Kirk had Scotty beam them to the location of the search team that found the community. There was a wide stream that separated them from the dwellings. Kirk was sweaty and exhausted, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was finding them, finding her. He looked at Spock and McCoy.

"What do you think?"

"We have not come across anything remotely resembling a village until now, sir. Logic dictates, as well as the evidence I am following, that they brought them here."

"I am not in the most rational frame of mind right now, Spock. All I want to do is to have the security team burn this place down."

"That would be a violation of the Prime Directive, Captain."

"I know and I don't give a shit. Do you? All I know is that I will do whatever I have to do, even if it's breaking all of the Starfleet regulations, to get our crew members back. What are you willing to do?"

Spock blinked. "Whatever is required, Captain. We were tricked into coming here. The Federation does not tread lightly in such matters."

"This shithole of a planet is so remote, I don't think anyone will notice if we blow it out of space." Kirk was incensed.

"Captain, may I remind you that the _Enterprise_ does not have the weapons capability to blow up a planet."

Kirk had the security team draw up several battle plans. He was positive that the Amigosians would not give up Uhura or the others without a fight. He disregarded Starfleet regulations and ordered his officers to shoot on sight. The Amigosians were a bunch of kidnappers and likely rapists. Kirk didn't care. Spock did not cite the regulation, nor did he challenge the order. Kirk was right; had been right from the beginning. Spock was not capable of having hunches, but he understood that he would have to learn to trust Kirk's. Had he done so, Uhura would be safely aboard the _Enterprise_.

* * *

Uhura closed her eyes, fighting back exhaustion and tears. Her wrists were bound above her head, over a tree branch. Her hair was matted and tangled with twigs and leaves. She was sweaty and angry. The Amigosians had been waiting for her to leave the hut. They were in the forest when she went behind the bush to urinate. She had barely removed her panties before she was taken. A hand was clamped over her mouth and arms, and another pair wrapped around her legs, and then she was quickly and quietly carried away. Poor Spock was speaking and hadn't even known.

They traveled in the forest swiftly and silently. She managed to kick out, hoping to disrupt the surrounding foliage so that Spock would be able to track her. She already lost her panties and knew that he would find them. That alone was enough to make her cry. But she refused to show any weakness in front of these bastards.

At some point, they exited the forest and arrived at a series of dwellings in a valley. Her hands were bound and secured above her head. She couldn't even reach her knife, which annoyed her to no end. Dez was bound to another tree beside her. There was no sign of Didi or Brenda.

They were left outside, tied to a tree branch like animals. Uhura still hadn't seen any Amigosian females and she wondered if there were any. Were they prisoners? Had they all died out? She gasped, thinking about Spock's analysis. Had they all died in childbirth? The males were enormous beings; did Amigosian babies kill the mother upon being born? Were there no Amigosian women to carry on the species? If so, that would explain all of the attention she and the others had received upon landing. And maybe the males were too impatient to wait for the arrival of more _Enterprise_ females. Seeing Uhura and the others had ignited their base nature: to find a woman and procreate.

It horrified her to know that there were four women and there were more than a hundred of them. And then she couldn't stop the tears.

"Lieutenant Uhura?"

"Dez?" She took a breath. "You're all right?"

"Bastards knocked me out and took my phaser. But I'm awake now and I'm mad as hell."

Uhura nodded. "Me too. Where's Didi and Brenda?"

"I don't know. I hope they're all right."

Uhura fumed. It was better to be mad. Anger was more productive than tears. She sucked up the rest of hers.

"I'm not going out like this, Lieutenant. I'm not going out like this. I'd rather take my own life than give it to them. And considering what they want us for, that is preferable. But I'm not going down without a fight and not without taking one of those giant fuckers with me!"

Uhura fed into Dez's obvious rage. It felt good to be that mad. "I know. I know."

"Then you're with me?"

"Absolutely."

Dez began squirming, moving her bound wrists against the leather strap. Uhura took deep breaths. She was going to put her flexibility and agility to work. Her dancing had to have another benefit other than enticing Kirk and Spock. She tightened her abdominals and tried to raise her legs. She was flexible enough that she could get her legs up and around the branch, she could grab her knife. Her hands were tied in such a fashion that she could grip it if she could snatch it out quick. She had to be steady enough not to drop it.

Dez was cursing. "…fucking…strap…is tight…!"

Uhura took a deep breath and tried to raise her legs higher. She needed momentum. Up, a little higher, a little more…

Dez was shaking her arms back and forth in a frenzy trying to get her wrists loose enough to slip out.

Uhura closed her eyes and felt her way. This was going to hurt her neck, back, and arms but she could handle that. She would rather be alive with a sore back than gang-raped and dead.

Her legs were high enough. The strain on her neck and shoulders were tremendous, but if she could get a little closer…

*

Kirk had the security team fan out and surround the encampment. He could see lights and hear the sounds of what sounded like argument, but he could not make out any details. He considered burning the surrounding woods so that the Amigosians couldn't get away.

Spock, beside him, said, "Captain, that would be illogical. We have completely encircled the village. They will not get away."

"Have you seen how big and strong those assholes are, Spock?"

"Strong is relative, Captain, and completely irrelevant to this situation. We have the tactical advantage."

"Shut up," McCoy hissed. "Or they'll hear you! The assholes ain't deaf!"

*

Dez was grunting in rage. She succeeded in chafing her wrists and that was all. Uhura had much better luck. Her final pull brought her legs up and around the branch. She inched her legs as close as she could and was able to reach her knife. Her skirt was hanging upside down, and she grabbed her blade, holding it tight. She nearly cried in relief and took a moment to calm herself so that she wouldn't drop it. Uhura let her legs down. She turned the blade and used it to cut her strap. She fell to the ground, nearly shaking in relief. Uhura turned the blade again and cut through her wrist straps. Then she got up and cut Dez loose.

"Shh," she instructed as she massaged her shoulders and arms, which were sore. Her neck and back screamed. "I can hear what they're saying."

Dez nodded and rubbed her shoulders and arms, trying to loosen her stiff muscles. Then she started looking around for a weapon of some sort.

Inside the largest dwelling was a cluster of Amigosian males engaged in an argument. Uhura tried to listen to what they were saying, but stopped after the first couple of sentences.

Ishtar: "_S'oem y'lar toen mah_!" The dark one is mine first.

Lan'dhar: "_S'oem y'lar achen_!" Mine; she agreed to be mine.

Another: "_T'keon unduh a'ris t'knea_!" We take turns. We use both.

Another: "_B'lani debuh s'ik'lith_!" They will give us many offspring.

Ishtar: _"Tke'rem s'blai sh'ker aslat h'bein sh'tul'um asa kei!"_ The others were fragile, but they are strong. They can breed our young.

She closed her eyes and did her best not to listen. Did that mean Didi and Brenda were dead? She hoped not. She prayed that Spock and the others would find them in time. Uhura scanned the area, searching for the quickest way out that would hide their departure.

From inside the dwelling, it sounded like a fight was breaking out. They were actually fighting over who would have them first.

"We need to get out of here," she told Dez. "Come on, let's just go!"

Dez, being Bajoran, didn't want to let it go without a fight. She found a long, slender tree branch and was twirling it like a staff. "I'm not going out like—"

"Dez, come on!"

Uhura turned to run, but then Ishtar, Lan'dhar, and three more Amigosians stormed out of the hut, heading for them. Uhura's eyes widened in terror at the sight of them—they were naked, fully erect, and their penises were enormous. Ishtar carried a thick stick of some sort.

"Hell no!" Dez said.

Uhura groaned_. 'Oh no! No wonder why the women are all dead…I don't want that thing in me…God!_

"Come on, Dez…let's go!"

Uhura turned to run in the opposite direction and grunted as something whacked her in the back of her head. She went down, the world swirling in little dark blots.

"No," she moaned, trying to fight off the wave of nausea that gripped her. She heard Dez screaming and tried to get back up. Her vision was blurry and it felt like her head was bleeding. What had she been hit with? She struggled, almost losing consciousness. She put a hand to the back of her head and it came back bloody.

When she felt strong hard hands grab her arms, she screamed as loud as she could, turning her head to see which one it was. It was Ishtar and he pushed her face down into the dirt. She kicked and screamed again, but he straddled her legs and came over her, lifting up her skirt.

Dez was screaming and cursing in Bajoran. Uhura tried pushing her head up, but felt another hand push it back down. There were four hands tearing at her clothes—

"NOOOOOO!" she screamed. She started squirming and bucking, but the humanoid was very heavy. She felt her thighs kneed apart and screamed again. She was going to die. Her life was going to end like this; face down in the mud, raped and murdered, and she had never told the man in her life that she loved him and wanted to be with him. Uhura choked on her tears as her head swam. Why hadn't she listened to Kirk? Why? He had been right about everything, and now…

Dez's screams this time were completely different than before. Uhura tried moving, tried kicking, tried everything, but the bastard was solid as a rock and she felt that thing…

She heard a commotion and moaned. Then a welcome sound flooded her ears. They were phaser blasts. Were they saved? She could feel Ishtar on top of her and then she heard a roar, a vicious feral sound from some animal, or someone's, throat. And then she felt no more. She lost consciousness.

Starfleet officers swarmed the compound, shooting on sight. Amigosians emerged from huts and log cabins, armed and ready to fight. Battle ensued, but Kirk cared about only one thing. She was face down in the mud and he ran to her and picked her up. Spock knocked one of the big bastards off of her and was in the process of fighting him and the other that was attacking her. He didn't appear to need any help. Kirk was focused on Uhura. She was unconscious. All that mattered was getting her out of there. Cupcake was carrying a hysterical Dez.

Kirk ran to a small clearing with McCoy right behind him, followed by Cupcake. "Scotty, five to beam up. Have a medical team on standby."

_To be continued…_


	14. Healing

XIV: Healing

Upon the news that the entire Amigosian colony was wiped out and a number of Starfleet members killed, Admiral Pike ordered the _Enterprise_ to Starbase 3.14 in the Veridian system so that an investigation could take place and the starship could be serviced. The crew was grounded for almost four months on Veridian III, in the city of Kalamar. Kirk could have cared less about the grounding. He was ready to accept full responsibility for what happened. It had been a year since they left Earth, and the _Enterprise's_ crew deserved some shore leave. Kirk instructed the crew to enjoy the time off and not to worry about the outcome of the investigation. Kalamar was a beautiful, bustling metropolis with lots of sun and wonderful beaches.

After the catastrophe on Amigosa V, Spock stayed in his quarters for seven whole days, meditating. He had to get back in control. He would not allow himself to return to duty until he was himself again. Losing his senses like that was unacceptable, but seeing Uhura under attack and nanoseconds from rape made his resultant behavior…_logical_. The commander killed the two Amigosians with his bare hands. Kirk actually was able to get a shot off, but Spock bellowed in rage and knocked the one known as Ishtar off of Uhura and started punching him. The other, Land'har, rushed to aid his leader and Spock effortlessly took on both humanoids and choked them to death.

Spock was against senseless murder; so killing the two Amigosians spoke volumes. After he returned to the _Enterprise_, Kirk wisely stayed out of the Vulcan's way and ordered his officers to do the same. He knew that Spock was unfit for duty, and he let him take the time he needed to regain his senses. He knew that the commander would find his way back; that he would be all right.

Uhura was under McCoy's care since they left Amigosa V. Brenda and Didi had been savagely raped and died from internal injuries. Dez had also been raped, but the interruption by her fellow officers left her somewhat physically intact. Comparatively speaking, Uhura had gotten off lightly. She had a concussion, a strained back and neck, and cuts and bruises. But she was distraught over what happened to her fellow officers. McCoy kept her and Dez isolated in sickbay until they could get to Veridian III. McCoy also advised that Uhura spend time with the ship's counselor to deal with what had happened to her. He ordered Kirk to stay away, and the captain had no choice. He had his own situations to deal with, as Pike was furious over what took place. But Kirk checked in with McCoy regularly. He was relieved that Uhura was physically fine, but he was concerned that she wouldn't be able to get over this. He regretted not ordering her to remain on board the starship.

When the ship docked at Starbase 314, Dez was transferred to a Starfleet hospital. The Bajoran was catatonic. Uhura was staying in a private facility near Kalamar's blue-green ocean. McCoy kept her location secret, as she did not need visitors. She healed physically and was healing emotionally. The place where she was had a private beach and she had full access. She spent her days in solitude and therapy. Sometimes she went to the hospital to visit Dez. Her evenings were spent either watching the ocean or walking on the beach. Meals were delivered to her quarters and she did not have contact with anyone other than her therapist, nurse, and Dr. McCoy. Uhura wasn't ready to deal with anything or anyone else. She was grateful for the peace and quiet. It gave her the time she needed to heal and to think about a lot of things.

Five weeks into her recuperation, she was lying on a chaise watching the waves when she heard the nurse answer the door and an argument ensue.

"I don't give a damn what Bones told you to do; I'm her captain and I need to see her. It's been almost six weeks! Get the hell out of my way—"

"She is not allowed to have visitors, Captain Kirk."

"I don't give a shit—!" A scuffle.

"Captain, perhaps a different tack would be beneficial to our cause. Excuse me, what is your name? Sira? Nurse Sira, it is essential that we, as Lt. Uhura's commanding officers, check on her progress. As you can see, it is very important to the captain to know that his communications expert is—"

"Sira, is it? Get the hell out of my way…"

"Officers, I must ask you to—"

Another scuffle ensued. Uhura shook her head. Captain Kirk would fight anybody, but Sira was a formidable nurse. She got up and went to the foyer. Kirk and Spock were at the doorway. Spock stood as he always did, hands behind his back, his face impassive. Kirk was scrapping with Sira, who was Klingon, six and a half feet tall, and outweighed him by a hundred pounds. Sira wasn't about to let him in.

A smile broke across Uhura's face. She hadn't realized until that moment that she missed them. "It's okay, Sira. They can come in."

Kirk glared at the nurse as he shoved past her. Uhura led them to the living room where she was sitting. "Go on, sit down." She motioned toward the couch. Kirk sat. Spock didn't. She lay back down on her chaise, covering herself with a blanket. Kirk gazed at her, unable to keep his worry out of his expression.

"How are you, Lieutenant?" Spock said. She knew he wouldn't sit down.

"I'm well, Commander. How did you find me?"

Kirk dispensed with the formalities. "I hacked into Bones' medical database. He has been suffering from fucking lockjaw when it comes to you. He wouldn't tell me anything. He wouldn't even tell me where you were, so I had to do what I had to do. I nearly beat it out of him. I needed to see you for myself. The last time I saw you, you were unconscious in sickbay…"

"I'm fine, Captain."

"Jim," he said. "Please don't call me Captain, not now…"

"Fine has variable definitions; fine is unacceptable," Spock said. "I must know how you are feeling, Lieutenant. Are you well?"

"I suffered a concussion, a sore back and neck, and some scratches and bruises, so physically, I am healed. Mentally, it is taking some time. I'm doing a lot better than I was. I was almost raped. Dez was raped and now she's catatonic. Brenda and Didi were murdered. I'm lucky to have survived at all." She gazed at Kirk. "I should have listened to you, Jim. I should have stayed on the ship. I'm so sorry I didn't do what you asked me to." Her eyes glazed with tears. "I'm so sorry."

Spock remained where he was, to his credit. Kirk was by her side immediately, hugging her. "It's okay. I knew you weren't going to do what I say; you _never_ do what I say. What happened was no one's fault."

She put her arms around him and cried into his shoulder. Spock moved closer to her, wanting to comfort her, but was not exactly sure how to do it. He acknowledged that his commanding officer was quite proficient at it. In two minutes and seven seconds, she was no longer crying.

Kirk cupped her face in his hands and gently kissed her lips. "It's okay, Nyota."

She touched his face. "I have missed you and Spock. I did not realize it until you knocked on my door." She pulled away from Kirk and reached out her hand to Spock. "Come closer."

A look crossed his face and he stepped forward, taking her hand. Uhura was treated to flashes of his concern, his worry, and his great relief that she was well. She saw his rage at what happened, his subsequent behavior, and his discipline. She saw that he wanted to comfort her and to hold her. She understood that he could not. Not right now.

"Sit, Spock. Sit on the other side of me."

He did so. She took a deep breath, sighing. She had missed them. "I need to say something. I've had some time to think about everything that has happened within the past year. There has been a lot going on between us. It's all my fault—"

"That is an illogical statement, Lieutenant—"

She placed her fingers against Spock's lips. "Shh," she said. "Let me finish."

He closed his eyes at the feel of her fingers against his mouth.

"It's my fault because I was being selfish. I liked the idea of you two fighting over me. I was invigorated by the fact that two hot men—yes, you two—found me so desirable that they were willing to engage in competition for my hand. Especially when I thought that no one on this ship was interested in me that way."

"Bullshit," Kirk said. "If it hadn't been Spock or me, it would have been Sulu. Cupcake's got it bad for you too, but of course he's a loser. And Scotty has a crush on you."

"He does?" she said. "I already knew about Brett and Spock told me about Sulu, but I didn't know about Scotty."

Kirk nodded. "You've got the pilot sprung. Cupcake's name is Brett? I had no idea."

"That is because you have never bothered to learn the crew manifest, Captain."

"Why would I? That's _your_ job, Commander."

Uhura chuckled. She had really missed these two wonderful men. She smiled at them. "Of course, I was so caught up in my own thing that I didn't see that I was wrong and had been wrong. I should have never allowed you two to fight over me. This thing between the three of us is madness. Nothing is worth the peace and functionality of a stable command crew on the Federation flagship. Your individual passion for me caused things to escalate and I encouraged it because it felt good. I am sorry that I led the both of you on. Please forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive," Kirk said. "Unless you're telling me you won't have me."

"Are you choosing?" Spock asked. Suddenly, both men looked apprehensive. Uhura took a moment to appreciate the cuteness of it. She would have bet her position on the _Enterprise_ that no one had ever seen either man look that way. It was a moment she would cherish.

"I can't," she said. "I can't choose between you. I want both of you. How that is possible, I have no idea. It is what it is. It's as if my life is complete with both of you in it. And it is unfair for me to put you in that position. I'm sorry. If I can't decide between you, then I will choose not to choose either of you. So this is it."

She leaned forward and kissed Spock on the lips while caressing his face. Then she did the same to Kirk. They just stared at her, disbelieving what she was saying.

"I heard your discussion when we were in the cabin on Amigosa. After hearing that, I knew that I could not risk hurting either of you, and so I won't. Go and find other women to love. You're free of me."

Spock reacted first, so sharply it was as if he had been shocked. He grabbed her neck and pressed his forehead against hers, closing his eyes. Uhura inhaled at the images and emotions he conveyed. The passion in them was overwhelming and she felt it everywhere. After a minute, he was able to speak.

"I do not want to find another to love, Lieutenant," he said. "I do not wish to be free of you. Ever."

He released her. She breathed deeply, taking a moment to process all that he had shown her. Kirk gave her a few moments, as he was well aware of the emotional transference that took place during a mind meld. He took her hand and massaged her palm.

"I can't do what he just did," he began. "All I know is that I have no intention of letting you get away from me. I have no desire to be with another woman. I don't want any woman but you. I almost lost you. I cannot tell you how afraid I was that I would never see you again. I won't let that happen. If I have to pull rank, then so be it. Nyota Uhura, I order you to have me, to be with me, to live with me and love with me. I order you to be everything with me. I don't care what I have to do to make that happen. I was willing to commit genocide for you."

"I hope it never comes to that again," she said. "And you don't have to pull rank. But there is no rational solution to this problem. How do you expect me to choose between you? How, especially after all that's happened? I think it's easier for me to just walk away; that way neither of you will be hurt. I can't do that to you. I won't be a woman that ruins a good man. I won't do that. I'd rather be without you than hurt you."

"No," Spock said.

"I don't want to hear that, Nyota," Kirk said. "I'm not leaving you. I put my heart on the line for you, just for you, only for you. I can't just pick it up and give it to another woman."

She held hands with both men, caressing her cheeks with their fingers. "I'm trying to walk away and you won't let me. So if the both of you refuse to accept my decision, then where does that leave us? "

"A predicament, to be sure, Spock said.

"A definite problem," Kirk agreed.

"So," she said, kissing each man's knuckle. "What do we do about it?"

* * *

When the _Enterprise_ left Veridian III eight weeks later, the investigation was complete and the crew returned to duty. Kirk was reprimanded for use of excessive force. The Federation was misled by the Amigosians and the death of many Starfleet officers made Kirk's actions somewhat justifiable, even though he violated the Prime Directive. However, Admiral Pike understood the captain's aggression in retaliating and did not restrict his duty. The _Enterprise_ was headed to rendezvous with the fleet in the Laurentian system.

*

She was dancing again. She moved around, lifting, twirling and spinning in oh so mysterious ways. Uhura was totally and completely healed. She slid to the floor in and came up in her usual manner, caressing herself. Then she grabbed the pole and pulled herself up, then allowed her body to circle down in a move Irish called the sunwheel. Coming to her feet, she smiled towards the back of the room.

"Fascinating," was a response.

"Do that again," was another.

Complying with the wishes of her lovers, she grasped the pole, but merely held on to it as she arched backwards and extended a leg. When she first learned how to pole, she was nervous, but after recalling her Amigosa experience, she moved into the exercises with no fear. And it got wondrous results. They loved it. She figured she owed them for their patience with her during their courtship.

"That's _so_ damned hot," the captain said. "I love it when you do that."

"I would like it if you did that again," the commander said.

She came to her feet. "I'd rather do something else. Computer, retract and cease playlist. Authorization Uhura: Delta Sigma 01." Then she reached into a nearby candy dish to get a handful of Andorian Jujubees. Kirk was now a diehard fan of the explosive sweet and kept them on hand for Uhura to eat.

The pole retracted into the ceiling. Uhura walked towards the bed and crawled in between them, popping two jujubees in her mouth. Kirk leaned over and kissed her first, using his tongue to retrieve one of the candies before she bit into it. She smiled at him.

"They're so much better once you've sucked on them," he said, leaning to kiss the tip of her nose.

Uhura turned to Spock to receive his kiss, delighting once again in his oral skills. That tongue trick of his never failed to excite her. Spock could kiss like a motherfucker. So could Kirk. It was a definite bonus.

Uhura lay on her stomach, her head resting on her folded arms. Spock, who was obsessed with her back, ran his nimble fingers over the curve of it, unfastening her bra strap. Kirk merely rubbed her ass while kissing her forehead.

"I have a query, Nyota."

"What is it, Spock?"

"I have noticed that you have been receiving roses for quite some time. I have been meaning to ask you, who has been sending them to you?"

"You mean it's _not_ you?" Uhura gasped. She'd figured they were from either him or from Kirk. She never bothered to ask and they never said.

"Nor is it me," Kirk said. "I didn't think you'd fall for something like that. I thought it was Spock sending you roses."

"Well, who would send me roses and not acknowledge it…?" She was puzzled. The roses were delivered regularly, every month. She had come to adore them and had even taken to putting them in her bathwater and scattering them on her sheets. They liked that.

"Who knows," Kirk said. "I told you, there are plenty of men on this ship who have a thing for you. Maybe it was one of them. Maybe it's Sulu. Scotty's not a flower guy; he'd be more apt to buy you a drink. It's probably Cupcake's unimaginative ass."

"His name is Brett, Jim."

"Whatever."

"Captain, you really need to learn your crew manifest. Mr. Willis is your head of security."

"Why do I need to know that when you can very easily tell me, Spock?"

Uhura shook her head. "Boys," she warned.

"It is logical that you may be receiving flowers from either Mr. Sulu or Mr. Willis," Spock said. "I am not bothered by another man being enamored of you."

"Good to know that _you're_ not jealous," she said, turning to kiss Spock's eyebrow. "I don't think I can say the same for Skippy over here."

Kirk merely smacked her buttock. He had never been as content as he was now. Commanding the _Enterprise_ was so much easier, knowing that she was his anchor and saved him from himself on a nightly basis. Spock's calm presence in his private life helped more than he cared to admit. Spock was able to submit to her, making it much easier for him to use his cold logic in every other area of his life. Uhura was right; there was a balance between the three of them, with her as the fulcrum

"Please clarify for me the nature of the Skippy reference. I have heard you call him that before and I do not understand. It is completely illogical."

She smiled at him. "A slang term for the captain of a ship is 'skipper.' When he took the Kobayashi Maru exam for the third time, he insisted that I end each of my statements with 'Captain.' He also did it while we were on the bridge. He made me so mad one time after assuming command of the _Enterprise_ that I called him Skippy, meaning it to be an insult."

Kirk rubbed her ass. "It was an insult the first time you said it. After that, it turned me on to get you mad enough to call me that. I love it when you're angry with me."

"Jim, I hate you," she said. Their banter resumed shortly after they got together, and it was layered with so much innuendo and subtext that it was inherently more fun than before. She could leave him on the bridge all hot and bothered and there was nothing he could do about it until later. Spock merely reaped the benefits.

"You weren't saying that earlier," Kirk teased. "In fact, I do believe you were saying the opposite."

Uhura grabbed her pillow and hit her blue-eyed lover. "I hate you. I really do."

"Fascinating," Spock said. "Skippy." He resumed massaging her back.

"Don't think I'm going to let _you_ call me that, Spock. And yes," Kirk said, fingering the dimple above her ass, "Skippy here _would_ have an issue with another man being in love with you. It's bad enough that I've agreed to share you with the commander. I'm not doing it with anyone else."

"Nor am I," Spock said.

Uhura shrugged. "It doesn't matter anyway. I have then men I want." She winced when Spock touched a sore spot. "Jim, I'm going to have to use your bathtub again tonight. Spock, I'll need another massage."

"I will rub you down any time you wish, dear Nyota." He kissed the tender place on her back.

"You're using us," Kirk said. "You're using Spock as your personal masseur and you're using me just because I have a bathtub." Ever since they got together, Uhura had been spending a lot of time in his tub. Usually, she was not alone. It was large enough for that.

"I admit; that is one of the better perks to being the captain's girl and the commander's lady, in addition to you having a bed that can hold the three of us. So maybe I am using you until someone with better benefits comes along." She smiled into her pillow, knowing that such a thing wasn't possible. Spock and Kirk combined came with maximum perks, including the ability to make her scream in ecstasy.

"That's not about to happen, Nyota," Kirk said. "But you can use my tub anytime. You know that."

Spock started kneading the sore spot on her back. She sighed. He was so good at that.

"I know. But seriously, Jim, spinning still makes me sore. I cannot believe you were able to get a pole installed in your quarters and a mirror put over your bed. I don't know how you pulled that off or how you justified it. How did you get Pike to authorize that? Especially since he was pissed about what happened on Amigosa." Uhura had quickly come to love the freedom and inhibition of pole work and ceiling mirrors. She was not the only one.

"I'll never tell. The mirror's just so I can watch when we make love. But I told you that if you chose me, I'd get you a pole. I'm glad you learned how to use it while we were in Kalamar. Your friend Irish is amazing."

"I agree with the captain's assessment. She is quite remarkable."

"She is," Uhura said. "You have no idea."

Irish's starship, the _U.S.S. Hood_, was on shore leave in another Veridian city. When Irish heard that the _Enterprise_ was grounded in Kalamar, it took her no time to get in touch with Uhura. And when she discovered her best friend deep inside a love triangle with Captain Kirk and Commander Spock, Irish pulled out all the stops and taught her best friend how to do several kinky things that would please them, including how to use a pole. Irish instructed Uhura that it was time to let her freak flag fly. Uhura had been quite surprised to learn that Irish had a pole, and even more surprised to find out she liked using it.

"This will blow their minds," Irish had said. "You will have them eating out of your hand once you whip this baby out on them. I can see Captain Fine and Commander Hotness turning into drooling horny fools after you do a little routine. Trust me. I've got half of Engineering at my beck and call and the other half's on deck."

Uhura knew better than to doubt her friend. "You're such a slut, Irish!"

"And you are too, _lachia_! Don't tell me you're not screwing fine ass Kirk and sexy ass Spock on a daily basis. Men that fine _will_ turn you into a slut. But it's not a bad thing. Let it fly, Nyo! Let the flag fly!"

When Irish first saw her with Spock and Kirk, the lovely Betazoid openly stared both men up and down and saucily informed them, "If Nyo can't figure out how to fuck you two, come and find me. I'll show her how it's done." And she winked at them. "You two are so damned _hot_!" Irish didn't give a hoot that she was addressing officers of a higher rank.

The tips of Spock's ears actually flushed a pale green and Kirk merely smiled and said, "Don't worry. She knows how to fuck us. Very well, in fact."

"Good," Irish replied. "And you'd better do the same." Then she grinned wickedly. "But if you ever want a jump off, you can still come find me."

Had it been any woman other than Irish or Gaila flirting with her men like that, Uhura would have put a good old-fashioned Starfleet beatdown on the offending little tramp. But as it was her wonderfully horny and informative best friend, Uhura let it slide. She knew Irish was just talking smack.

Before she left, Irish gave Uhura one last piece of advice. _"Nyo, you're going to do this right," _she said_. "An experience like this is about as frequent as a supernova. Love as hard as you can for as long as you can. You've got a serious thing here with Captain Fine and Commander Hotness! I'm so fucking jealous, lachia!"_ And then she hugged Uhura. _"Mission accomplished!"_

Uhura continued. "And I must confess, Irish has been absolutely right about everything."

Spock was kissing her vertebrae and she was getting excited again. She loved it when he did that. "What was she right about?"

She smiled into the pillow. Kirk was also kissing her back. "Oh…that Vulcans could be sexy…that Captain Kirk could bring it…that I should let my freak flag fly…"

"Freak flag?" Spock looked up from her thoracic vertebrae. "May I inquire as to what that is?"

Kirk was removing her panties. She sighed as she felt him kiss her buttocks. He had a thing for her ass. And her boobs. And her legs. Truth be told, Kirk had a thing for all her body parts. He was an equal-opportunity sucker.

"Oh, just to be with whom I want to be with and do what I want to do, no matter what anyone thinks. Forming a triad with my captain and my commander—that could be considered freaky. If only they knew," she said, smiling a very secret smile. There was a lot to be said about superior officers' freak flags. Kirk had a big one.

"Then I'm letting mine fly as well," Kirk murmured into the skin of her ass. "I never thought I'd be _here_, freely doing this with you and another man."

"Fascinating metaphor. I would have to conclude that, if I were to actually have a flag attached to my person, it would also be in motion because this is completely inappropriate and illogical. It is a complete disregard of Vulcan sensibilities and Starfleet regulations."

"And yet you can't keep your hands off her," Kirk sneered. "Told you logic had nothing to do with _this_."

Uhura laughed. Spock and Kirk had a delightful back and forth of their own. It was completely hilarious.

Spock resumed kissing her back, moving to her neck and shoulders. He was completely captivated with the curves and planes of her body. There were those rare times when she felt like she would be consumed; his feelings were so passionate. And to think _that_ was what lay under his logical, rational and detached exterior. There were decidedly worse things.

"Ummm," Kirk moaned, slipping a finger between her thighs. "What else was Irish right about?" He became quite fond of the hot little Betazoid in the short time he had gotten to know her. In another time, another place…

"That if I couldn't be with either of you, I _should_ be with the both of you. Or as she says, to give the both of you my cookies." She gasped as he found her spot.

"I do not understand," Spock said, resting his forehead against her neck. "I do not recall you giving us any cookies or any other kind of sugary confections." He ran a hand over her buttock, his expression dreamy.

Uhura laughed into her pillow. Kirk glared at Spock. "For someone so brilliant, you can be a complete dumbass. She's talking about _this_," he said, removing his fingers and waggling them at Spock.

Spock looked at Kirk's wet fingers and a different expression came over his face. "Fascinating."

Kirk shook his head at the Vulcan. "It's better than cookies, believe you me," he said, sucking them. Then he slipped his fingers back inside and pulsed slowly. She moaned and clenched around them. She loved it when they finger-fucked her. Kirk continued, concentrating. "You should have listened to her a long time ago, baby. We could have been deep into this thing. Mmmm," he groaned.

"Aren't we already?" she gasped.

"We could have been deeper," he said, a look of heat in his cobalt-blue eyes.

Spock was nibbling on her neck and did not respond. But he agreed with the captain.

"How was I to know that you would agree to this? You told me that you two were practically at war." She inhaled sharply. Spock found another one of her sexy spots. Either she was covered with them or they simply knew how to touch her. Certainly no other man had been able to do it right.

"We also knew that neither of us would back down. And even though he irritates the hell out of me with his never-ending logic…shit, you're _so_ wet…I actually consider the commander more than just a friend."

"Dr. McCoy is also your friend…oooh!" Kirk was so good at _this_…!

"Bones wouldn't be able to handle this," Kirk said, rolling her over on her back. "Nor could he handle you." He traced one finger down to her pelvic bone, running it over the tiny black triangle tattooed on her hip. Spock had one and so did he. They got the tattoos while in Kalamar.

Spock removed her bra, tossing it over his head, and sucked a nipple into his mouth. Uhura moaned as she felt his teeth nip her areola. For him, talking at this point would be illogical. She tended to agree, but Kirk liked to talk.

"_Spock_…!" she murmured. Her nipples were very sensitive, and Spock definitely knew how to treat them. While Kirk was a sucker, Spock was a nibbler. Both were just fine with Uhura.

Then she turned her eyes to Kirk, gasping. "And _you_…can?"

Kirk parted her legs and lowered his head. "Don't you think so?"

In moments, she was panting and moaning. "_Skippy_...!"

_to be continued...one more time! _


	15. Kalamar

Warning: Explicit sex and some language. Proceed at your own risk.

* * *

Redirect: Kalamar

Uhura dismissed Sira for the rest of the day. She suggested the idea of a threesome and both men were stunned. They looked at one another. Clearly the idea of sharing the lovely Uhura hadn't occurred to either man.

"What other alternative is there?" she asked. "Neither of you will walk away. And I can't choose because I'm in love with the both of you. So the logical thing to do is to form a triad."

"I don't want to share you," Kirk said. "I'm selfish."

Spock remained silent.

Uhura looked into Kirk's endless blue eyes. "Then walk away."

"No," he said.

"So what do you want me to do? What would you have me do? I'm not an amoeba and I can't clone myself. Either one of you will walk away, or both of you will walk away, or the both of you will share me."

Spock closed his eyes. "It is a logical solution."

Kirk sighed. "I don't know about this."

"Jim," she said, stroking his cheek, "I love you. I've given you your options. Pick one."

He clenched his fists like a small boy. "I—I don't know…All I want is you, Nyota. I want you all to myself."

"But _that_ will not happen, Captain," Spock said. "For I am not walking away."

Kirk closed his eyes. "I need a moment."

She nodded. "Take all the time you need."

Uhura sat back in her chaise and turned her attention back to the ocean. Kirk got up and went for a walk on the beach. He needed time to think. Spock went out to the terrace and sat in meditation for an hour. Then he went back into the apartment. Uhura was eating crackers and drinking tea.

"Do you want this, Spock?"

"I want you, Nyota. I will take you on any terms."

"What do you think about Kirk?"

"I know that he will give it great consideration. Then he will agree to it."

"You're so sure?"

"I have come to know him quite well. He feels as strongly as I do."

*

When Kirk came back, they were waiting for him. Nothing needed to be said; enough words had been spoken and enough time had been wasted. Uhura got up and walked to her bedroom and they followed her wordlessly. The Veridian sun was setting and lit up the room with beautiful red-orange light. Uhura opened the sliding doors so that she could hear the ocean. She removed her hair from its topknot and took off her robe. Calmly, she pulled back the covers and lay down on the bed. Spock and Kirk remained where they were, staring at her naked body.

"Are you going to be okay with this?" she asked, propping her head in one hand. "Are you going to be able to handle a threesome?"

"I can handle it," Spock said.

Kirk sighed. Saying it was one thing, doing it another.

Uhura smiled to herself. "Hmm. After all that talk and all that foreplay on the ship, now that you have the chance to make love to me, you stand there? Men," she said, lying back on the bed. "Amateurs."

Spock moved first, disrobing. He took his time and neatly folded his clothes before joining her. The need in his gaze was undeniable. He reached for her and she embraced him. Very soon, she had her legs around his hips as they kissed.

She moaned against his cheek. "That tongue thing…" She licked his ear.

Kirk's breathing deepened as he watched. He was unsure of what to do next. Yes, he wanted Uhura with a great passion; yes, he had agreed to the threesome; and yes, he understood that it was going to last as long as it could. He wasn't sure why he hadn't joined them in bed; he was certainly ready. So he watched.

Spock's perfectly coiffed hair was mussed when she gripped it with her fingers and squeezed his head with her thighs. He was not silent about his delight in tasting her; Kirk could hear the man growling. She moaned, surging against him, her head thrown back, and her mouth open. She came hard and he still didn't let her go. Kirk watched her shiver in the aftermath of her climax and nearly lost his mind. The sounds she made were incoherent at first, but then she was able to speak. She stared at Kirk, the heat in her eyes comparable to Veridian's setting sun.

"Come, my captain. Come to me, give in to me…" She beckoned to him. "Come here…I need you too."

That was his undoing. With a lack of finesse, he removed his clothes and joined them in bed.

*

It seemed unreal, but it was very real. It was electric, magnetic and frenetic. It was as if time stopped. Uhura never before thought about being with two men, but she quickly learned it was something she would not soon let go of. She was the center of their attention, the apex of their triad, the object of their worship. It was exciting to be so revered, so adored and so attended to. They were very different in their approaches to her and she liked both very much.

She expected Spock to be the sensitive one, to be gentle and indulgent with her body. Uhura was surprised to find that Kirk was her tender lover. When he finally joined her and Spock in bed, he had been in awe of her at first, gingerly moving his hands over her supine body. Spock was behind her, kissing her neck. He had moved her hair over her shoulders and was thumbing her erect nipples. Kirk took his time touching her, reveling in the feel of her skin—she did feel like silk—adoring the sounds she made whenever his fingers moved over a sensitive spot. Spock moved and Uhura lay flat on her back with her legs bent and open and her excitement obvious.

Spock, so staid and silent, was the aggressive one. After Uhura's sassy invite, he was barely able to control himself. He was calm about his approach, but once he kissed her, his desire for her came pouring out. He could have devoured her; he wanted her so much. While Kirk stood there watching, he allowed himself to enjoy her. She was hot to the touch and her scent was an aphrodisiac. It was a siren; beckoning his mouth, calling him, inviting him downward and he was powerless to resist her. She tasted like Vulcan honey; thick, warm and sweet. She responded to his invading tongue in a maddening delight and the barest nip to her clitoris sent her over the edge. He growled when she clasped her thighs around his head and lost it completely when he made her tremble. He didn't want to share her with anyone, but that was a done deal once Kirk finally manned up and joined them. Spock moved behind her to give him space and began gently biting her back, which he cherished. He loved to bite her. She liked it when he did it.

Kirk kissed her deeply. He grabbed one of her thighs and drew her against him. He wound his free hand in her hair and pulled her so close that she felt his erection against her belly. Spock merely adjusted and pressed his against her backside. He moved one of his hands to the space underneath her throat to make certain he was as close to her as he could be without being inside her. Impossible as it sounded, a logical thought burst through the lusty haze that was Spock's brain—was she ready to be penetrated like this? He wondered if he should ask.

She moaned against Kirk's mouth. "Now, now…_now_…!"

"Nyota," Spock said, "you are not ready for this kind of penetration. You have no lubricant and I do not wish to hurt you."

Kirk stopped, breathing hard. "He's right."

She nearly screamed. After Amigosa, she wasn't afraid of anything, and most certainly not a double penetration. "Damn it, just use your imagination! Come on now, don't do this to me! I can handle the both of you."

"Shit," Kirk said, kissing her again. "Handle me, baby."

Spock adjusted her so that he could rub his erection against her wet heat. Then Kirk readjusted to accommodate him. She gasped in pleasure and moaned when she felt Spock against her backside. He took as much care as he could in entering her. If he wasn't already gone before, her next words ensured that he would be within the next ten seconds.

"I can take it, Spock…please…I need you inside me now…"

Kirk buried himself inside her and nearly came from that alone. Her heat was ferocious and primal. It stole his reason and his sanity. He wasn't sure how long he could possibly last; he was sucked into the vortex of her and looked at her sweaty face. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was open; Spock's dark head rested on her shoulder and Kirk soon realized that he could feel the commander inside of her as well. In moments, they were moving in tandem, locked deep inside her, united in such a way to cement the bond they already shared. This was how it had to be with her; the only way it could be with her; the only way it should be with her, and their simultaneous movement was comprehension enough. She was unbelievable. Both men knew that they would not let her go or give her up. Not willingly.

Uhura could not and did not try to hold it in. To be filled so thoroughly, so completely, was akin to being whole. Her sounds carried throughout the room and out of the open balcony door. The picture of the three of them, locked together in passion, made her come hard enough that it triggered their own orgasms. It was as if a star exploded. Sparks of light burst behind Kirk's closed eyes and he moaned his release against one of her shoulders. Spock bit the other one as he was overcome by his own. They descended in a twitching, tremulous mass of sighs and sweaty limbs.

*

She found it amusing that they were in sync and worked together for her pleasure. Without speaking. They turned sideways in the bed and Uhura's head hung over the side, her hair a black cascade over Spock's knees. He clamped her wrists together and kissed her upside down, pinching her nipples with his free hand. His tongue trick was even more erotic when it was done backward. Kirk had her spread, securing one leg over his shoulder and he was thrusting up inside her, stroking her clit with one thumb.

When Spock released her mouth, she was beside herself and could not stop quivering.

"Did… the…two…you…plan…_that_?"

"No," Spock said.

"We're used to working together," Kirk said.

"_Thank_…_god_…!"

*

She rode Spock, who held her by her waist and didn't even try to pretend that he wasn't enjoying it.

"Ny…o…ta…!"

Kirk was behind her, straddling Spock's legs so that he could press against her, between her buttocks and massage her breast. She was turned toward him, one arm curled around his neck, and they were kissing. He had his other hand down, fingering her clit. And then the sensation was too much and she broke away, panting, moaning some twisted combination of their names.

"Come back here," Kirk breathed, forcing her chin back in his direction so that he could claim her mouth.

She was in another universe. They were making her pay for her erotic dancing.

*

She was sandwiched between them again; Kirk on top and Spock underneath because he could handle their combined weight. Spock held her head, kissing her lips, her face. Kirk was kissing and nibbling on the back of her neck, rubbing his face in her hair.

Uhura couldn't find a voice to emit any sound of pleasure; the lovin' was _far_ too good.

*

Much later, after a welcome snack of Veridian fruit and cheese, she was kneeling between them. Uhura had a hand flat on each man's chest, and wordlessly, she caressed them, enjoying their physical differences. Spock was slim and muscular, and appeared to have zero body fat (she hated him for that) with a smattering of dark hair across his chest. He was beautiful. She traced one finger down the center of his chest to his navel and was pleased to hear him suck in his breath.

Kirk had more body mass and was exquisitely chiseled. He had a six-pack and pectorals to die for (Uhura noticed _that_ a long time ago; the male Starfleet tunics were, thank God, form-fitting). He had very little, if any, body hair. He was gorgeous. Uhura ran her fingers over his wonderfully taut abdominals and his moan was enough to make her smile.

She spread the fingers of her right hand over Kirk's sternum and cupped the underside of Spock's left arm, feeling their hearts beat strong and sure. The sensation of that gave her goosebumps.

"Oh my," she moaned. She was hoarse from screaming.

"Nyota, please…" This from Spock. "I must touch you…"

"Ditto that," Kirk groaned. "You can't expect us to lie here and let you do this without reciprocating."

"Those are the rules, guys." She moved her hands down.

"_Now_ you want to establish rules?" Kirk gasped as she found a sensitive spot.

"Yes. This is my experience; to discover what you like and what you feel like. I have not had an opportunity to learn _your_ bodies; it is something I would like to investigate closely. Didn't have a chance to do it earlier, what with you jumping me before I could get on the bed…" she teased.

Kirk groaned again, but Spock, being Spock, had a different response.

"If I recall correctly, Lieutenant, you had to invite us into bed with you…"

She shushed him. "Don't ruin this for me."

In time, she had her fingers curled around each of them. Uhura closed her eyes as she enjoyed the feel of their sex, appreciating the gift she held. One was straight, the other curved. One was an inch or so longer; the other a half-inch thicker. Both were erect. Uhura smiled to herself…she literally had all power in her hands. A decidedly cocky (pun intended) thought entered her mind: she could rule the _Enterprise_ if she was the kind of woman that used sex as a weapon.

"Oh, you feel so good…" she murmured. She couldn't keep it in. "So, so good…why did it take so long for me to find this out?"

"Because you felt that you needed to—"

"Spock," Kirk said, his voice strained. "Shut up."

Uhura reached for the sandalwood oil she had warming on the nightstand and drizzled some over her hands. Then she gripped them again, loving the sounds that emanated from them. She closed her eyes and started to stroke, learning sensitive areas based on the sounds that erupted from their throats. Dear God, real live, living breathing men! It was _glorious_! A year ago, she would have never ever believed or considered that she would have the captain of the _Enterprise_ and his second in command in this position. She could not suppress her giggles. She would have to thank Gaila and Irish for everything. Who knew that a spontaneous club dance would lead to all _this_?

Spock couldn't speak. Kirk gasped as her pinky finger grazed the underside of the head of his penis. "God, woman…what could possibly be so funny…"

She smiled at him, moving her fingers around the head. It was his most sensitive spot.

"I'm totally getting off on this," she said, licking her tongue out at him. "Oh baby," she teased.

Spock was able to get some coherent words out. "Nyota…I never…knew…that you were…ambidextrous…"

"Neither did I. But never let it be said that I'm not a quick leaner." Stroking both of them was its own erotic pleasure. Irish told her to do this right, and be damned if she wasn't going to. She ran her index finger down the underside of Spock's penis, which made him shiver as if it were cold. He hissed something in Vulcan, and she smiled again. "I like it when you talk dirty, Spock."

"I'm going to…make you scream…when I get you…on your hands and knees…" Kirk gasped.

By way of response, she turned her gaze back to him. "Promises, promises…" she said, and weaving her fingers around his cock, she slid them up and down and leaned over to kiss the head. He came violently.

Spock joined him moments later. Uhura wiped her hands on her naked body and lay between them, pleasantly sated. It was a while before either man could speak.

"I don't know how I'm going to keep from jumping you on the bridge once we're back in space," Kirk said, his body calming down in waves. "I never knew you could do _that_."

"I must admit that it will be difficult not to envision this moment whenever we are on duty. However, professionalism must be maintained at all costs." Spock lay very still. The only way Uhura knew he was calming down was by his breathing.

"For you maybe," Kirk said. "I'm going to find some way to return this little favor in the captain's chair. Fuck being professional. _You_ can be professional and watch us."

"I do not believe that I am capable of merely watching, Captain."

"That's what I thought. When it comes to Nyota, you're not as controlled as you would have everyone believe. Wait until your pon farr arrives and you find yourself chasing her all over the ship."

"Point taken, Captain. However, I also do not believe that _I_ will be the only one chasing her, pon farr or not."

Uhura smiled her secret smile. "Who says I'll be running?" Then she looked at Spock. "When's pon farr?"

*

The sun was rising. The room was lit in colors of cerulean blue, lavender and pink. The water rushed up on the beach. Kirk had her on all fours and her gratification could only be emitted in grunts because she had Spock in her mouth. His semen had a light sweetness to it that reminded her of some exotic fruit whose name she could not recall but whose flavor she enjoyed. He tasted so good. Spock in turn, emitted his pleasure via growls while sucking her wandering fingers. He held Uhura's head down between his legs, encouraging her to use proper fellatio technique so that she wouldn't gag. She could not take her mouth off of him unless she felt the need to scream. Those were the rules Kirk set forth when he flipped her on her belly and drew her up on her hands and knees. He was determined that she was going to scream.

Before she did, Uhura could think of only one thing: '_Gaila was right; oh god, Gaila was right…!' _

And then the positions were reversed. Kirk had a light, salty taste; the perfect contrast to Spock. Uhura devoured him and could have died a happy woman._  
_

*

When sleep finally came, the Veridian sun was well over the horizon. Kirk was flat on his back. Uhura's head rested on his chest, and Spock was spooned behind her. They were in a tangle of legs and sheets, pleasantly exhausted and definitely satisfied. When Dr. McCoy entered to check on his patient, he took one look at the three entwined bodies, turned around and walked out.

Lieutenant Uhura could be released from his care. She was doing _fine_.

* * *

They remained locked up in her suite for the better part of three weeks. It was a time of peace, of connection, of love. Kirk and Spock maintained regular contact with Starfleet, but the investigation was still ongoing. Kirk didn't care. When it was time to deal with it, he would. For now, he was going to enjoy the opportunity to love Uhura with the freedom that came with shore leave. It was intense, for Spock loved her as well. After consummating the triad, they slept most of the following day. Spock rose to prepare a meal of some sort and Uhura got up to take a shower. Kirk followed her, and in moments, he had her up against the shower tiles, her legs around his hips, her arms around his neck, thrusting hard and deep. She clung to him, kissing his forehead, his eyelids, his cheeks. The ensuing climax was explosive. "Nyota," was all he could manage before he burst within her.

They joined Spock for a very late lunch, which he had set up on the terrace. Spock actually fed Uhura spears of fresh fruit, which she accepted from his fingers without any word of complaint. Kirk watched them over his own plate, actually enjoying it.

"You know, that's kinda hot," he said.

When Kirk went for a swim, Uhura and Spock remained behind, watching him. Uhura was tired—pleasantly so, but not to the point that she resisted Spock. He, sitting in one of the chairs, guided her over and into his lap. She was still wearing her robe and it was easy to slide it up and slip inside of her. She rode him, inviting his head to her breasts, cradling him, squeezing him, and enjoying the way he felt. He mumbled endearments in Vulcan, and she turned at his request so that he could kiss her back while she rode him. Her robe went flying over her head and she could not hold back her excitement as he fondled her breasts and kissed her spine. She remained in his lap after achieving orgasm and they watched contentedly as Kirk swam.

She was unbelievably sore, but she was happy, so she didn't care. It was worth it. Spock ran her a hot bath with Epsom salts so that she could soak by candlelight. He prepared dinner and brought it to the bathroom to feed her while she did so. He and Kirk methodically rubbed her down before she fell asleep.

*

The ensuing days followed a similar pattern. They took long walks and slept late, ate real food on the terrace and lounged in the sun. They made love. Spock discovered Kirk's playful side. Kirk chased Uhura around the house and on the beach. He fed her candy. He told her jokes and tickled her. He stroked her earlobes and caressed her fingers. He carried her over his shoulder and splashed water on her when they swam together. He blew into her stomach and made her giggle. He initiated a food fight. He polished her toenails. He ate cake from her fork and played with her hair. They had pillow fights. He danced with her. He made her laugh. It helped her heal.

Kirk learned to appreciate Spock's devotion. Spock spent long moments touching her, fingering the curves of her continent, reveling in the nuances of her body. His fingers were explorers, revealing sensitive places she did not know she had. He ran her bathwater and gave her baths. He read poetry to her and played music for her. He brought her exotic flowers and conversed with her in multiple languages. He cooked for her and sometimes fed her. He tended to her needs and anticipated her wants. He brushed her hair, applied oil to her body and kissed her feet. He let her sit on his lap and fall asleep in his arms. He carried her around the suite and on the beach. He gave her Eskimo kisses. It helped her heal.

Uhura loved how they complemented one another and balanced each other. She loved how well they got along and didn't crowd each another. She loved how they gave each other private time with her and how well they flowed when it was the three of them. She loved how Kirk teased Spock and how Spock corrected Kirk. She loved that they sometimes lay in bed on overcast days and have long discussions on a variety of topics while watching the sky. She loved how they tended to her. Spock was ready to give her as many massages as she wanted. Kirk actually washed her hair, doing it on the beach with water warmed from the sun. She lay back in her chaise and sighed peacefully as he used gobs of shampoo on her luxuriant locks and slowly scratched her scalp. Spock sat at her feet, massaging them. Neither felt the need to speak. Enough words had been spoken.

The eighth day, Spock initiated a modified Vulcan bonding ritual for the three of them and Kirk didn't voice any objections at all. Uhura was in heaven. Paradise. Ecstasy. Delight. Whatever. She knew a happiness that once eluded her.

When Kirk was ordered to appear before Admiral Pike and the tribunal, they went with him. Spock justified Kirk's actions and Uhura tearfully relived her experience. McCoy and Cupcake also provided support for Kirk's actions. Pike informed them that a decision would be delivered within a week and they returned to her suite, deciding it was time to emerge from their cocoon and be seen amongst their peers.

* * *

Some days later, they were roaming the streets of Kalamar. They passed other officers and crew members of the _Enterprise_. If anyone suspected anything about their constant companionship, no one said a word. Kirk, of course, got hit on from many women, and he being Kirk, would cheerfully look back. This annoyed Spock.

"I thought that you were going to give that up for her, Captain."

Uhura, walking between them, merely smiled. "He can look all he wants, Commander. Looking's free. As long as that is _all_ he does." She was sucking on a strawberry lollipop Spock purchased at a candy store. He had taken to buying her candy too.

They passed a shoe store. Uhura stopped and gazed longingly at the multitude of shoes in the window.

"I miss my shoes," she said.

"Do you want a pair?" Kirk asked, watching her gawk at the window.

"I would love to have these…" She pointed at a pair of red patent-leather stilettos. "Or those…" She pointed at a pair of thigh-high boots. Then she turned and smiled at him.

Kirk sighed. "Oh yes," he said. "Love those red ones. But the boots would look totally hot with your uniform. You could wear them and we could do a little dominatrix thing—"

"Or we could act out that fantasy you had," she said, giving him a look that never failed to release those primal urges. Would he ever cease to want her? Not likely. Kirk stared at her, his eyes becoming hooded. Leave it to Spock to bring them back to reality.

"Lieutenant Uhura, those shoes are a major violation of the Starfleet dress code, and might I add, totally inappropriate." Spock said.

"Thank God," Kirk said. "We wouldn't want to be appropriate now, would we?"

Uhura smiled at Spock . For such a brilliant man, he could be clueless at times. No matter. She and Kirk were going to enjoy teaching him how to let his freak flag fly. She held out the lollipop to him. "Come on, honey. Taste it."

Captivated, he leaned forward and licked the bright red sucker. He would do anything she told him to do. "Fascinating," he said, gazing at her.

"You need another adjective," Kirk said. "I'm sick of that one. Try 'intriguing.' Or 'enthralling.'"

Spock ignored Kirk and looked at Uhura. "Those shoes look as if they are uncomfortable. I do not want anything to happen to your insteps or your toes. I am fascinated with your feet. Those shoes will hurt you if you spend many hours standing."

"Who says I'll be _standing_ in them," she said, sucking seductively on the lollipop. Spock raised an eyebrow and inclined his head.

Kirk groaned. "Hell yes," he said. "Nyota, baby, you're so kinky! What's your shoe size? I'll be right back."

*

Kirk was carrying the boots and Spock the shoes as they walked down a street littered various shops and sundries. They passed Mr. Sulu and Mr. Chekov. Sulu stared at her, then at his superiors. They greeted the pilot and the navigator and kept walking.

"What if they say something?" she said. "What if they tell?"

"Exactly what are they going to tell? Who are they going to tell, Nyota? And who gives a shit if they do?" Kirk rolled his eyes.

"I meant what I said, Jim," she snapped.

"Well, they would have to report it to their commanding officer, which, depending on the circumstance, will either be Spock or me. So, like I said, who are they going to tell?"

"I don't want to be a subject of gossip."

"You should not worry about that which you cannot control, Nyota," Spock said. "Most of our crew members have formed relationships of some sort."

"But none like what we have," she said. "I don't want people thinking that I get special treatment because I'm sleeping with you two. Jim, you're the boss and Spock's your second. How would that look to someone like Yeoman Rand, who is your personal assistant? She's going to find out."

"But you _do_ get special treatment," Kirk said, stroking her hair. "Just not while you're on duty." Kirk said. "We're in love. Is that any different from Chekov and that cute girl in Engineering? Or any other couple on the _Enterprise_?"

"You're my commanding officers," she said. "That's what makes it different."

"I beg to differ, Nyota," Kirk said. "Last I checked, you were in command of Spock and me."

She licked her lollipop and smiled. "I guess I'm just bothered by the fact that I can't acknowledge I'm in love. Women will look at me and know that I am. I know that I have a big goofy smile on my face."

"I'm sure you'll find a way to do it, Nyota. I'm not embarrassed to be with you. Our union becomes an issue if it affects our jobs, which it won't. If they talk, they talk. So what? Nothing's going to change, so don't worry your pretty little head."

"Captain," Spock said, "You are the one who said you intended to have sexual relations with Nyota in the captain's chair. How does that not affect your duty?"

"It won't. And I still intend to do it, especially if she's wearing these boots. You can watch if you want."

"No, Jim, I will not watch. I will participate."

"Of course you will, you dingus. You talk a good game, but as soon as you see a flash of her sex, you turn into a blithering idiot."

"Correct me if I am wrong, Captain, but do you not also weaken at the sight of Nyota naked? Do you not find yourself stumbling over your words when she touches you? To use your phrase, you, too, turn into a blithering idiot."

"You bet your pointy ears I do. And I'm not ashamed to admit it."

Uhura shook her head, laughing while sucking her lollipop. They were so funny. "Both of you are impossible."

Kirk gazed at her. "My feelings for you are not. If Admiral Pike is disturbed by our relationship and wants to reassign us to other starships, then he will have a serious problem. Pike knows how stubborn I am. I will follow you wherever you go, Nyota. Spock will too. "

"He has a point," Spock said. "Captain Kirk has earned the right to command the _Enterprise_. How he chooses to run it is entirely up to him. Although Starfleet regulations specifically forbid officer fraternization, it has not stopped such liaisons from occurring. Humans, as well as other beings, have an innate need to form meaningful attachments. Admiral Pike is well aware of this. As long as there is no outward expression of emotion and favoritism, there should not be any problems with our bond."

"I guess I cannot argue with that," she said. Then she looked up as a brightly lit sign caught her attention: TATTOOS.

"I have an idea," she said, grabbing their hands and leading them inside.

*** * ***

And that is how it happened.

_fin_

A/A/N: Whew! _Finally_, I'm done. This fic has completely consumed my life for the past month, to the point that I was writing and revising nonstop, which accounts for the frequent posts. I'll be ready to tackle another story in a few days.

For those of you who have stuck with me through this journey, thank you so much for your support. I could not have finished without it. And since I know that I'm not through with this particular universe (ZQ and CP just blow my mind) I want to extend my thanks by inviting your prompts for future short fics or one-shots featuring the fabulous K/S/U threesome. There's so much to explore: Kirk's fantasy, Spock's pon farr, jealousy on Uhura's part, how she takes care of them, adventures on other planets, and perhaps a possible pregnancy. I'll leave it to you to choose. And if you trust me, then I'll do my best not to let you down! Again, thank you ever so much for your approval.

Reviews are greatly appreciated!--PinkElegance


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